
Class 
Book. 



- 




GofiyrigtoH?.. 






COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT: 




THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY 



ECLECTIC ENGLISH CLASSICS 



MACAULAY'S 

LAYS OF ANCIENT ROME 

AND 

OTHER POEMS 



EDITED BY 

W. PATTERSON ATKINSON, A. M. 

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, JERSEY CITY HIGH SCHOOL 



NEW YORK •:• CINCINNATI •:• CHICAGO 

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 



hi 3 



Copyright, IQT3, by 
American Book Company 

macaulay's lays 

W. P. I 



CI.A332235 

7M? / 



CONTENTS 








Introduction 


PAGE 


Life of Macaulay 


7 


Characteristics . 




. 






12 


Writings 




. 






14 


Style 




. 






. 18 


Place and service 




. 






IQ 


Chronological Table . 




. 






20 


List of Essays . 




. 






21 


References 










22 


Outline of Macaulay's 


Preface to Lays 






22 


Legends underlying the 


Lays 






24 


Map .... 


. . . 






26 


HORATIUS 


. 






27 


The Battle of the Lake Regillus 






49 


Virginia 


. . o . 






76 


The Prophecy of Capys 


• O • 






QO 


Ivry .... 


• 






IO3 


The Battle of Naseby . 


• • • 




. ic6 


The Armada . 


• • « 




. 109 


Notes . 


• 


© • e 




c 


IJ 3 



INTRODUCTION 

I. Life 

Thomas Babington Macaulay, who later became Lord Ma- 
caulay, was born in the house of his uncle, Thomas Babington, 
at Rothley Temple, Leicestershire, England, October 25th, 
1800. ' He came of serious-minded people. His father, Zachary 
Macaulay, was an upright, stern, religious Scotchman, who de- 
voted his life to the abolition of negro slavery in the British 
possessions. His mother, Selina Mills, was the daughter of a 
member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in Bristol, while 
his ancestors on his father's side were for several generations 
Scotch Presbyterian ministers. 

Macaulay was a precocious child, displaying at a surprisingly 
early age a wonderful memory, an unusual facility in composi- 
tion, both oral and written, and a passion for reading. These 
traits, in some of which he is resembled by a later eminent 
Scotch literary man, Robert Louis Stevenson, were dominant 
throughout his life. His habit of reading began about the age 
of three; he wrote long compositions in prose and in verse before 
he was eight; and his memory was prodigious from the earliest. 
This precocity was doubtless fostered by intimate and early 
contact with the eminent men associated with his father. 

His education began very young as a day scholar at a school 
in Clapham, a suburb of London, where his family resided. 
Soon having outgrown its possibilities he was sent to the board- 
ing school of the Rev. Mr. Preston, at Little Shelford, near 
Cambridge. Here before he was thirteen he was translating 
Xenophon and the Odyssey from Greek, composing Latin verses 
and reading Vergil, writing compositions in English, engaging 
in debates, reading French for his own amusement, and study- 

7 



8 INTRODUCTION 

ing geometry. Though he was precocious as a young child, his 
studies at Mr. Preston's school are no proof of exceptional 
ability; they formed the ordinary work of boys of his age. In 
those days Greek and Latin were studied for many more years 
than they are now in this country and consequently the pupils 
really mastered both languages. 

In Mr. Preston's school Macaulay had been in a Cambridge 
atmosphere, so by a natural transition in October, 1818, in the 
beginning of his nineteenth year, he entered Trinity College, 
Cambridge, of which College his old master was an ex-Fellow. 
Here he twice took the Chancellor's medal for composition in 
English verse, and, besides other prizes, won in 182 1 the Craven 
Scholarship for excellence in the classics. He crowned his Uni- 
versity career by winning a Fellowship of Trinity College by 
examination in 1824, whereby he became for seven years one of 
sixty masters of that institution, sharing in its privileges and 
revenues, though not residing there. He enjoyed his college 
course of six years to the full, taking part in its social life with 
zest and finding pleasure in all his studies except mathematics. 
Among his companions he was famous as a talker. 

In 1825, while yet in his twenty-fifth year, there was pub- 
lished in the August number of The Edinburgh Review his essay 
on Milton. It was received with extraordinary favor. His style 
was admired and heartily commended, by none so much as by 
Jeffrey, the editor. But this was not the first time that his 
writings had appeared in print. Two years before he had writ- 
ten a number of articles for Knight's Quarterly Magazine, con- 
tributions which had doubtless led to the invitation to send 
articles to The Edinburgh. From this time, with occasional 
interruptions due to holding office, he wrote till his death, con- 
tributing to the Review alone till 1844. 

The money gained from literature was very acceptable as his 
father had failed in business and the son had become the main 
support of the family which included many brothers and sisters. 
Owing to Zachary Macaulay's absorption in the antislavery 



INTRODUCTION 9 

crusade the family fortunes had been declining for several years 
so that in 1823, while yet at Cambridge, Macaulay was glad to 
take private pupils. Now he took up the study of law, with no 
great relish it is true, as was the case with Stevenson, but al- 
though called to the bar in 1826 he achieved no success as a 
lawyer. His writing combined with his fellowship kept things 
going but it was fortunate that in 1828 he was appointed a 
Commissioner of Bankruptcy. These three sources brought his 
income to about $5,000 a year. This appointment is an evi- 
dence of his prominence and of his recognized ability, for it 
came unsought. 

Another unsought honor was the offer of a seat in Parliament 
for the borough of Calne, made by Lord Lansdowne who did 
not know him personally but who was struck by the forcible 
articles in The Review. This offer was possible because at that 
time many localities represented in Parliament were so small 
as to be owned absolutely by one person who could dictate 
the candidate to be elected. Sometimes these places had no 
population at all, for instance Old Sarum. Such places were 
called "pocket boroughs." l This selection was most agreeable 
to Macaulay who took a great interest in politics. It led also 
to another success, for his speeches in Parliament were triumphs 
of oratory. 

But members of Parliament at that time were not paid. 
Further, in 1831 a bill was passed to reform the bankruptcy 
practice, for which Macaulay voted though it abolished his 
office. Then for a time he was so poor that he had to sell his 
Cambridge medals despite the fact that he was a foremost man 
in Parliament and a welcome guest in the best houses in London. 
As a reward for his hard work in support of the Reform Bill 
of 1832, a measure which greatly improved the whole English 
electoral system, he was appointed a Commissioner of the 
Board of Control, a body which represented the crown in its 
relation to the East India Company, that group of men who 
1 Consult McCarthy's The Epoch of Reform, pp. 25-26. 



io INTRODUCTION 

governed India. Shortly afterward he became the Board's 
secretary. 

The Reform Bill of 1832 gave to Leeds, an important manu- 
facturing city, two representatives in Parliament. The Whig 
Party, of which he was a member, asked Macaulay to be its 
candidate, and though he could have been reelected without 
trouble for Calne, he felt it his duty to his party to agree. In the 
campaign he asserted his independence by refusing to pledge 
his future actions in Parliament; and in spite of loud remon- 
strances against this policy, he carried the election. 

The year 1834 is an important date in Macaulay 's life for it 
was at that time that he went to India as the Legal Adviser to 
the Supreme Council of that land. He gave up his parliamentary 
career because from the salary of his new office, £10,000 a year, 
he would be able at the expiration of his term to have saved 
sufficient money to make him independent and able to provide 
for his family. It was a sacrifice but he gladly made it. On the 
outward voyage to his new post, which took nearly four months 
in a sailing vessel, he devoted himself to reading, covering an 
enormous number of books chiefly in Latin and in Greek. In 
India he did great service. Besides his regular duties he was a 
member of two very important committees, one of which drew 
up the Indian Penal Code, a compilation that has evoked the 
enthusiastic admiration of the legal profession, the other of 
which prepared and put into operation an entirely new system 
of education. It is pleasant to add that his sister Hannah ac- 
companied him, for his family was as much devoted to him as 
he was to them. In the strange country she met and married 
Mr. Trevelyan. Their son, years afterward, wrote the standard 
biography of his famous uncle. 

Macaulay returned to England in 1838 a free man, free from 
office and free from the worry over money. For a short time 
he gave himself to the enjoyment of literature and of travel, in 
the same year making a tour of Italy. But his leisure was not 
for long. In 1839 he became a member of Parliament for Edin- 



INTRODUCTION II 

burgh and in the same year joined the Cabinet as the Secretary 
at War. He plunged into the new work with characteristic 
vigor, at the same time writing some of his most famous essays. 
He held office till a change of ministry occurred in 1841 when 
he was reelected for Edinburgh. 

Again Macaulay had time for writing. During the period 
from 1 841 to 1846 he wrote seven articles for The Review, issued 
The Lays of Ancient Rome, and prepared a collected edition of 
his essays. Then once more, his party having sought his serv- 
ices, he became a Cabinet minister as Paymaster-general. But 
another change of ministry soon occurred and in the general 
election of 1847 Macaulay was defeated at Edinburgh. This 
defeat was due to the great unrest in Scotland in matters per- 
taining to politics and to religion, and to discontent with Ma- 
caulay's independence. 

His leisure once more regained, Macaulay turned his thought 
seriously to a long occupation, one which held him to the end 
of his life, his History of England. Honors began to come to him. 
In February, 1847, he became a Trustee of the British Museum, 
in 1849 Lord Rector of Glasgow University, and Fellow of the 
Royal Society. In 1852 he was also reelected a member of 
Parliament for Edinburgh, which being unsought and occurring 
without effort on his part, is to be counted an honor and an act 
of reparation. His seat, however, he resigned in 1856. 

In 1852 Macaulay became for the first time in his life seri- 
ously ill. His heart was affected and until his death he was at 
no time a well man. But he enjoyed life, writing faithfully and 
with love for his work. More honors came. He was made a 
Foreign Member of the French Academy, a member of the 
Prussian Order of Merit, High Steward of Cambridge, and in 
1854 Oxford conferred upon him the degree of D. C. L. But the 
greatest honor was his elevation in 1857 to the Peerage as 
Baron Macaulay of Rothley. 

His life now rapidly drew to a close. After having apartments 
in the Albany for many years, he settled down in 1856 at 



I2 INTRODUCTION 

« 

Holly Lodge, Kensington, a suburb of London. Holly Lodge 
was a villa standing by itself, screened from view by dense 
foliage, and presenting a rural appearance. Here surrounded 
by books, interested for the first time in a garden, watched over 
by loving friends and relatives, he passed the last three years of 
his life. And here December 28, 1859, he quietly passed away. 
On January 9, i860, he was reverently laid to rest in West- 
minster Abbey. 

II. Characteristics 

In reference to Macaulay's appearance it was once written: 
"There came up a short manly figure, marvelously upright, 
with a bad neckcloth, and one hand in his waistcoat pocket. Of 
regular beauty he had little to boast; but in faces where there is 
an expression of great power, or of great good humor, or both, 
you do not regret its absence." l His nephew, Sir George Otto 
Trevelyan, adds that his head was massive and his features of a 
powerful and rugged cast. Despite his carelessness in dress 
Macaulay was a lion in society on account both of his good 
nature and of his great power. A remark" has been attributed 
to Gladstone to the effect that few men had ever attained such 
wide and honorable renown and such immense distinction be- 
fore middle life. 

His good nature may have many other names all equally 
applicable. He was noble — with the help of his brother Henry 
he paid off all of his father's debts, he supported his brothers 
and sisters; he was benevolent — he assisted those in trouble, 
whether known to him or not and sometimes whether solicited 
or not; he was generous — his nephews and nieces were always 
receiving treats; he was magnanimous — he offered his resigna- 
tion to the government rather than oppose his father's wishes 
concerning a proposed parliamentary measure, he relinquished 

1 From Praed's Introduction to Knight's Quarterly Magazine, quoted by 
Trevelyan, vol. I, p. 117. 



INTRODUCTION 13 

his parliamentary career to go to India in order to secure a 
competence for his family; he was sincere — he voted for a bill 
which abolished his own office and left him in hard financial 
straits; he was loyal — giving to party and to friends both time 
and labor needed for other and greater things; he had sweet- 
ness — in trouble he showed sunniest radiance, in gladness he 
was the life of the home, playing, capping verses, making puns, 
composing verses, which he always attributed to the "Judicious 
Poet"; he loved all children — witness the excursions, the treats, 
the valentines; he had such sensibility that he was easily 
touched to tears by pathos in life or in books; he was altogether 
such a man as we love. Even his severest critics yield hearty 
admiration to him as a man. One says: " ... as a son, as a 
brother, and an uncle — it is only the barest justice to say that 
he appears to have touched the furthest verge of human virtue, 
sweetness, and generosity." l 

Macaulay's power had many phases. He was an enormous 
reader, he had a phenomenal memory and a remarkable capac- 
ity for work. He was an orator and a conversationalist, an 
essayist and an historian, a statesman and a man of practical 
affairs, a student and a poet. Able to take in a page at a glance, 
reading was play; not needing to commit anything to memory, 
for everything seemed to stick forever, he was able to repeat 
whole books; vigorous, he could write on an essay before break- 
fast, perform his official business during the day, attend a public 
function in the early evening, and spend the rest of it and half 
the night in the House of Commons. When he rose to speak in 
Parliament it came to be a summons for the members to fill the 
benches and in social life his powers of conversation can be 
compared with those of Dr. Johnson only. Brilliant, witty, and 
fertile in mind, he was a "combination of public spirit, politi- 
cal instinct, and legitimate self-assertion": 2 prudent, energetic, 
and self-reliant, he was a "combination of literary power, his- 

1 Thomas B. Macaulay, by J. Cotter Morison, p. 18. 
2 Trevelyan, vol. I, p. 180. 



I4 INTRODUCTION 

torical learning, and practical familiarity with the conduct of 
great affairs." 1 

Many critics have tried to patronize Macaulay, particularly 
those of the generation following his. But this attempt is due to 
the absolute change in the attitude toward life of their day and 
of his. He belonged to that optimistic band of actors whose 
work culminated about 1830; they belonged to the reactionary 
band of analysts, for if one period produces, the next criticizes, 
if one period praises, the next blames. 

III. Writings 

Macaulay's writings fall into three divisions, essays, history, 
and poetry. The essays in turn, forty in number, are most 
easily subdivided into the following groups: English history, 
foreign history, controversy, criticism, and biography. Of the 
first group those on Lord Clive and on Warren Hastings are the 
most famous, of the second that on Von Ranke is the most cele- 
brated, of the third those on Mill had the most weight, of the 
fourth that on Addison is the widest known, and of the fifth that 
on Johnson is a classic. 

All of the essays were and are very popular. They gave their 
author an unprecedented fame and added vastly to the influence 
and to the circulation of The Edinburgh Review, in which all but 
the biographical group appeared. They introduced many to the 
study of the subjects of which they treated, they aroused 
thought, and they always inculcated honest, strong, manly be- 
lief. Further, Macaulay did much for the essay as a form of 
literary composition. His predecessors, such as Bacon, Steele, 
and Addison, were crude; his contemporaries, such as Lamb 
and Hazlitt, developed to a high degree the chatty species, 
others pushed forward the critical variety; Macaulay in his 
practice made the general form more definite, and polished the 
historical variety nearly to perfection. 

1 Ibid., vol. II, p. 374. 



INTRODUCTION 15 

There has been much discussion about Macaulay's History, 
the full title of which is The History of England from the Acces- 
sion of James II. It had such an immense success that most 
writers seem called upon to pull it down from its high place. 
The author said in 1841, "I shall not be satisfied unless I pro- 
duce something which shall for a few days supersede the last 
fashionable novel on the tables of young ladies." He succeeded. 
Edition after edition was called for. The sale was so large that 
his publishers in 1856 sent him as only one of many payments a 
check for nearly $100,000. The book was translated into many 
languages. It was praised by the greatest men of the world and 
a group of workingmen passed him a vote of thanks for writing 
a history that they could understand. 

The reason why critics from about 1856 to a recent date have 
been so ready to throw stones at this shining mark is, apart from 
the fact of his eminence, because the conception of history has 
changed. Macaulay wrote, from the political and social stand- 
point, history that is literature, being among the first to intro- 
duce the social element. Later, history was woven from society, 
politics, and business. Now to these three another and a 
dominant strand is being added — the working of the human 
mind. But the sneers are fading away. Just as the value of 
Herodotus and of Thucydides is recognized though they did not 
write in accordance with the twentieth century plan, so Ma- 
caulay is coming back to his own. 

The secret and the effect of the History have been thus 
most admirably expressed by William Roscoe Thayer: "He 
entertains you with a panoramic wealth of details, but never 
allows you to grope for the plot. When you close his book and 
ponder over it, it is as if you had been watching a Roman legion 
on the march. The sun flashes from the helmets and shields 
and spears of the cohorts as they wind like a huge and gem- 
scaled serpent over the plain. Now they are hidden by a wood; 
now they emerge into the open, and the sunbeams gild their 
sinuous line, which throbs as if every stride were a pulse. Here 



1 6 INTRODUCTION 

they glide into a walled town and are lost except for a casual 
sparkle or the beat of a distant drum; but anon they flash again 
into view and begin to curve along the mountain side or to coil 
around a fortressed crag. And so on and on, the embodiment of 
disciplined, tireless force, of agile, elastic force, with rhythmic 
sweep and gleaming form and with an indefectible purpose." l 

Macaulay wrote poetry all of his life, his first recorded efforts 
belonging probably to his eighth year. His facility in composi- 
tion was phenomenal. For hours at a time he could produce in 
play, for the amusement of the home circle, a continuous flow 
of verses, all ascribed to "The Judicious Poet." In college his 
poetic power twice won him the Chancellor's medal. During 
his voyages to and from India and while there he read and re- 
read enormous quantities of Latin and of Greek. With his mind 
filled with ancient life, his ever-ready poetic ability used this 
abundant material and about 1838 we have mention of his 
putting some of the legends of Rome into ballad form. Ballads 
always intensely interested him and he felt that he should like 
to restore to poetry that of which it had been robbed by history. 
For he believed that the stories to be found in the early books of 
the Latin historian, Livy, were taken from the lost ballads of the 
early Romans. This belief was shared by Niebuhr, the German 
scholar, and by Dr. Arnold, the great Headmaster of Rugby, 
who saw two of the ballads and, as Macaulay says in a letter to 
Napier, the editor of The Edinburgh Review, "wrote to me in 
such terms of eulogy that I have been induced to correct and 
complete them. There are four of them, and I think that, 
though they are but trifles, they may pass for scholarlike and 
not inelegant trifles. 1 ' 2 

The poems, often composed during his walks, took form 
slowly, being polished and changed many times, occasionally for 
the sake of topographical accuracy. Some of these changes 
were suggested during his tour of Italy in 1838 when he got 

1 North American Review, December, 1909. 
2 Trevelyan, vol. II, p. 103. 



INTRODUCTION 17 

many touches of local color for future use, his diary at this 
time being full of observations of Italian scenery and locality. 
Often there are direct entries concerning the ballads; thus on 
November 9, 1838, he says, "I meditated some verses for my 
ballad of 'Romulus,' but only made one stanza to my satisfac- 
tion." This poem was later published as "The Prophecy of 
Capys." As they were perfected we hear of their being sub- 
mitted to Ellis, a tried friend of long standing and likewise an 
ex-Fellow of Trinity, who was heartily interested and sug- 
gested a few changes here and there. 

The volume, The Lays of Ancient Rome, appeared in 1842. 
Previous to its publication, Macaulay stipulated to Longman, 
his publisher, that there should be no puffing, and asked it of 
Napier as a personal favor that his name and his writings 
should never be mentioned in The Review. As soon as the book 
was given to the public it "sold like Scott's most popular 
poetry" as Leslie Stephen says. 1 And even such an old ad- 
versary as Professor Wilson "greeted it in Blackwood } s Magazine 
with a paean of hearty, unqualified panegyric." 2 The popu- 
larity has continued. The vigorous swing of the strong manly 
thoughts appeal to the public as much as ever. Readers have 
approved the Lays and now they are included among the 
classics of English Literature. 

Previous to the publication of the Lays, Macaulay had pro- 
duced three other poems well qualified to stand side by side 
with his later songs. These are "Ivry, A Song of the Hugue- 
nots" (1824), "The Battle of Naseby" (1824), and "The 
Armada" (1832). These are trumpet-notes of triumph, Hebraic 
songs of victory whose theme is the overthrow of the mighty 
oppressor: mediaeval religious intolerance of the French is 
avenged, English political pride is dethroned, and Spanish ar- 
rogance humiliated. 

1 Hours in a Library, vol. Ill, p. 231. 
2 Trevelyan, vol. II, p. no. 



18 INTRODUCTION 



IV. Style 



When Jeffrey acknowledged the receipt of Macaulay's manu- 
script of the Essay on Milton he wrote, "The more I think, the 
less I can conceive where you picked up that style." 1 And 
Frederic Harrison speaks of a passage in that essay as " vigorous 
invective in the style of Cicero." 2 Is not this a hint as to the 
secret of that wonderful style? "Soak your mind in Cicero" 
was Macaulay's advice and practice when in college. Further 
he read and reread Cicero all his life. So it is natural that his 
style should be Ciceronian. Furthermore Cicero was an orator, 
so it is only to be expected that Macaulay's style should be 
oratorical. And that is what it is. We unconsciously imagine 
the author as delivering his composition to an audience. The 
Latin style, again, constantly uses antithesis, one part of an 
idea being set over against another. There is also much orna- 
mentation. Both of these characteristics are abundant in Ma- 
caulay. But he has the knack of breaking from long sentences 
into short ones for the sake of emphasis and in a climax. 

His style is above all things clear. That no one can fail to 
grasp his meaning is a fact upon which he prided himself. 
Narrative power he has, too, being one of the best story-tellers. 
And he can interest and hold the attention of his readers, a 
characteristic due largely to his ability to use brilliant illustra- 
tion, his mind being so well stored that scores of precedents and 
examples were always ready with which to make clear or to 
sustain. His portraits of persons are unique: his knowledge 
immense. Into one sentence he crams the result of vast read- 
ing. Like all the Scotch he can reduce men to classes and 
events to principles. Through it all he is intensely patriotic. 

Macaulay's writings are in many respects models. He 
greatly influenced all later writers. For the paragraph he did 
much. In his essays we have definite topic sentences definitely 

1 Trevelyan, vol. I, p. 117. 

2 Studies in Early Victorian Literature, p. 79. 



INTRODUCTION io 

developed by regular methods since formulated in the text- 
books of rhetoric. He knew the art of transition. And the 
whole gives a well-ordered panoramic view or expository con- 
ception. In other words, he thought clearly, knew just what he 
wanted to say, and how to say it. To-day the makers of text- 
books quote from him copiously, in grammar for his precision, 
in rhetoric for his felicitous choice of words and for his power to 
express his exact shade of meaning as well as for the arrange- 
ment and presentation of his thought. His success is doubtless 
due to his infinite capacity for revision, in which Stevenson 
resembles him. 

Unfortunately for themselves some of his critics have de- 
rided what they call his "rhetoric." But what is the purpose 
of rhetoric, that is technique in writing, if not to produce de- 
sired effects? That sneer, however, is nearly forgotten and 
credit is now being given his verbal artistry because it is the 
work of an artist. 

V. Place and Service 

During his life Macaulay had success in abundance, political, 
literary, and social. It began in early youth and continued in 
growing measure till his death. It is so great as to excite won- 
der. At twenty-five he had achieved fame in literature, at 
thirty he had become a Member of Parliament, at thirty-four 
he had been made one of the rulers of India, at thirty-nine he 
had reached the position of a Cabinet Minister, at forty-three 
he was read over the educated world, at forty-eight he had 
reached eminence as an historian, at fifty-seven he had been 
raised to the Peerage, at fifty-nine he died, rich, powerful, 
honored, all through his own abilities alone. But immediately 
there set in a reaction. The critics, and he had many because 
he had a multitude of readers and no one can please everyone, 
said he was shallow, glittering, a mere artist in words without 
philosophy and without insight. They picked such minute 
errors in his History that "These allegations savor a little of 



20 INTRODUCTION 

the technical knowledge of an advocate at the criminal bar 
retained for the defense." l It became fashionable to deride 
Macaulay, the trick being caught by those who had not read 
him. So it continued for fifty years. But now there is a change. 
The third generation is considering him without bias and with- 
out personal interest. And what is the result? The critics are 
writing articles with such titles as "The Revival of Macaulay," 
"The Vitality of Macaulay," "The Enduring Characteristics of 
Macaulay." 

Therefore because he knew how to write brilliantly, how to 
interest, how to arouse thought, how to stir the heart, how to 
hold up to admiration "whatsoever things are true, whatso- 
ever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever 
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever 
things are of good report" and how to condemn unsparingly 
and indignantly the reverse, let us accept him thankfully as the 
most enduring and the most typical English writer of the early 
portion of the Nineteenth Century, " a very great man of letters 
and an almost unsurpassed leader to reading." 2 



1800 
1812 
1818 
1819 
1821 
1822 
1824 
1825 
1826 
1828 
1830 
1832 
1833 



VI. Chronological Table 

October 25, born at Rothley Temple, Leicestershire. 

Mr. Preston's School at Little Shelford. 

Trinity College, Cambridge. 

First Chancellor's Medal. 

Craven Scholarship. Second Chancellor's Medal. 

B. A. 

Fellow of Trinity. 

Article on Milton in August Edinburgh Review. 

Called to the Bar. 

Commissioner of Bankruptcy. 

M. P. for borough of Calne. 

Commissioner of Board of Control. Later Secretary. 

M. P. for Leeds. 



1 Henry D. Sedgwick, Jr., in The Atlantic Monthly, August, 1899. 

2 George Saintsbury, Corrected Impressions (1S95), p. 97. 



INTRODUCTION 21 

1834, Legal Adviser to the Supreme Council of India. 

1838, Return to England. 

1839, M P. for Edinburgh. Secretary at War. 

184 1, Reelected from Edinburgh. 

1842, Lays of Ancient Rome. 

1843, Collected Edition of Essays. 

1846, Paymaster-general. 

1847, Defeated at Edinburgh. 

1848, History of England from the Accession of James II, vols. I, II. 
1852, Reelected from Edinburgh. Serious illness. 

1857, Elevated to the Peerage. 

1859, December 28, died at Holly Lodge, Kensington. 

VII. List of Macaulay's Essays 

1. English History Group: 

Milton, August, 1825. 

Hallam's Constitutional History, September, 1828. 

Lord Nugent's Memorials of Hampden, December, 183 1. 

Burleigh and His Times, April, 1832. 

Horace Walpole, October, 1833. 

William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, January, 1834. 

Sir James Mackintosh, July, 1835. 

Sir William Temple, October, 1838. 

Lord Clive, January, 1840. 

Warren Hastings, October, 1841. 

The Earl of Chatham, October, 1844. 

2. Foreign History Group: 

Machiavelli, March, 1827. 

Mirabeau, July, 1832. 

Lord Mahon's War of the Succession in Spain, January, 

1833- 
Von Ranke's History of the Popes, October, 1840. 
Frederick the Great, April, 1842. 
Barere's Memoirs, April, 1S44. 

3. Controversial Group: 

Mill's Essay on Government, March, June, and October, 1829. 
Southey's Colloquies on Society, January, 1830. 



22 INTRODUCTION 

Sadler's Law of Population, July, 1830, January, 183 1. 
Gladstone on Church and State, April, 1839. 

4. Critical Group: 

John Dryden, January, 1828. 

History, May, 1828. 

Mr. Robert Montgomery's Poems, April, 1830. 

Southey's Edition of The Pilgrim's Progress, December, 1830. 

Moore's Life of Lord Byron, June, 183 1. 

Croker's Edition of Boswell's Life of Johnson, September, 

1831. 

Lord Bacon, July, 1837. 

Leigh Hunt's Comic Dramatists of the Restoration, 1841. 
Diary and Letters of Madame D'Arblay, January, 1843. 
The Life and Writings of Addison, July, 1843. 

5. Biographical Group: 

Francis Atterbury, December, 1853. 
John Bunyan, May, 1854. 
Oliver Goldsmith, February, 1856. 
Samuel Johnson, December, 1856. 
William Pitt, January, 1859. 

VIII. References 

Biography 

Macaulay's Life and Letters, by Sir G. O. Trevelyan (1876). 
Criticism 

Macaulay, by Sir Richard C. Jebb, M. P. (1900). 
Articles by 

Henry D. Sedgwick, Jr., in The Atlantic Monthly, August, 1899. 

Prof. A. V. Dicey of Oxford in The Nation, May 15, 1902. 

W. R. Thayer in The North American Review, December, 1909. 

IX. Outline of Macaulay's Preface to the Lays 

A . What is called the history of the kings and early consuls of Rome 
is fabulous, for 

i. The public records were destroyed by the Gauls, 
ii. The oldest annals were compiled more than a century and a 
half later. 



INTRODUCTION 23 

iii. The writers of trie Augustan Age admit the inaccuracy of their 
material. 

B. The early history of Rome is far more poetical than anything else 

in Latin Literature, for 
i. The poetical character of the events is discernible in all the 

histories, 
ii. In the days of Plutarch there were skeptics concerning its 
truth. 

C. Perizonius put forward a theory, revived by Niebuhr, and adopted 

by such scholars as Dr. Arnold, that there was an early Latin 
Literature, now lost, consisting of ballads. 
i. This is probable, for 

a. All human beings long for information of the past, 

b. Only enlightened communities have access to books, 

c. All races have such a ballad literature, as is shown by 

1. The Germans, 

2. The Gauls, 

3. The English, and others. 

ii. There is direct evidence for it, for it is referred to by 

a. Ennius, 

b. Fabius, 

c. Cato, the Censor, 

d. Valerius Maximus, 

e. Varro. 

D. That this early poetry perished is not strange, for 

i. The Greek genius completely triumphed over the public mind 
of Italy. 

E. The process by which the old songs were transmuted into the 

form which they now wear is: ballads became funeral pane- 
gyrics, which became chronicles, which in turn became part of 
the present histories. This is proved by 

i. The stories of Edgar in Hume's History, in English. 

ii. The story of the heirs of Carrion in Mariana's History, in 
Spanish. 

F. To reverse that process, to transform some portions of early 

Roman history back into the poetry out of which they were 
made, is the object of this work [the Lays]. 

G. In the following poems the author speaks, not in his own person, 



24 INTRODUCTION 

but in the persons of ancient minstrels who know only what a 
Roman citizen, born three or four hundred years before the 
Christian era, may be supposed to have known and who feel as 
such would feel. 

X. Legends Underlying the Lays and Macaulay's Intro- 
duction to "Horatius" 

To understand the poems it is necessary to know the condi- 
tions. In ancient times Italy was split up into many sections, 
such as Etruria and Latium, in which dwelt rather distinct 
tribes, whose cities were joined into loosely formed confederacies. 
The cities were ruled in paternal fashion by a chief man. In 
the course of time Rome became much larger than the other 
cities and the ruler was given the title of king. Several of the 
kings belonged to one family, the Tarquins. They were bad 
men and bad kings. Finally they were banished and the king- 
ship abolished because Sextus, one of the sons of Tarquinius 
Superbus (the haughty) outraged Lucretia, the virtuous wife 
of his cousin, Tarquinius Collatinus. 

But Tarquinius Superbus, not content to be banished, made 
four attempts to regain the throne. The first attempt was 
made through his- friends in the city but was frustrated. The 
second was made by the aid of the people of Tarquinii and of 
Veii, who were repulsed in battle. The third attempt was made 
with the support of Lars Porsena of Clusium who ruled all of 
Etruria. How the attacking party failed to capture the city is 
told in "Horatius." The fourth was made with the help of his 
son-in-law, Octavius Mamilius of Tusculum. Its failure is told 
in "The Battle of the Lake Regillus." 

Macaulay's introduction to "Horatius" makes the following 
points: 

i. The story of Horatius Codes had a poetical origin. 
2. There are several versions, differing in minor points, whose 
discrepancies are easily explained, as is seen in English 
Literature, on the supposition that there were two ballads 



INTRODUCTION 



25 



on the defense of the bridge, one preferred by the multi- 
tude, the other by the Horatian house. 

"The ballad is supposed to have been made about a hundred 
and twenty years after the war which it celebrates, and 
just before the taking of Rome by the Gauls. The author 
seems to have been an honest citizen, proud of the military 
glory of his country, sick of the disputes of factions and 
much given to pining after good old times which had never 
really existed. The allusion, however, to the partial man- 
ner in which the public lands were allotted could proceed 
only from a plebeian; and the allusion to the fraudulent 
sale of spoils marks the date of the poem, and shows that 
the poet shared in the general discontent with which the 
proceedings of Camillus, after the taking of Veii, were 
regarded." 

The penultimate syllable of Porsena is short on the authority 
' of Martial, Horace, and Silius Italicus, Niebuhr notwith- 
standing. 

"Niebuhr's supposition that each of the three defenders of 
the bridge was the representative of one of the three pa- 
trician tribes is both ingenious and probable, and has been 
adopted." 




30 



MAP OF 

MIDDLE ANCIENT ITALY 

To Illustrate Macaulay's 
"LAYS OF ANCIENT ROME" 



# 



A 



:;r, 



SCALE OF MILES 

1 1 

60 



in 



100 



Longitud< 



East 



from 



I.L. P0ATCS ENG. CO., N.Y.I 

Greenwich 



LAYS OF ANCIENT ROME 

HORATIUS 

A LAY MADE ABOUT THE YEAR OF THE CITY CCCLX 

I 

Lars Porsena of Clusium 

By the Nine Gods he swore 
That the great house of Tarquin 

Should suffer wrong no more. 
By the Nine Gods he swore it, s 

And named a trysting day, 1 
And bade his messengers ride forth, 
East and west and south and north, 

To summon his array. 

ii 
East and west and south and north 10 

The messengers ride fast, 
And tower and town and cottage 

Have heard the trumpet's blast. 
Shame on the false Etruscan 

Who lingers in his home, is 

When Porsena of Clusium 

Is on the march for Rome! 

in 
The horsemen and the footmen 

Are pouring in amain 2 
From many a stately market-place, 20 

From many a fruitful plain; 

1 Meeting day. 2 In force. 

27 



28 MACAU LAY 

From many a lonely hamlet, 

Which, hid by beech and pine, 
Like an eagle's nest, hangs on the crest 

Of purple Apennine; 25 

IV 

From lordly Volaterrae, 

Where scowls the far-famed hold 1 
Piled by the hands of giants 

For godlike kings of old; 
From seagirt Populonia, 30 

Whose sentinels descry 
Sardinia's snowy mountain-tops 

Fringing the southern sky; 

v 

From the proud mart 2 of Pisae, 

Queen of the western waves, 35 

Where ride Massilia's triremes 

Heavy with fair-haired slaves; 
From where sweet Clanis wanders 

Through corn and vines and flowers; 
From where Cortona lifts to heaven 4c 

Her diadem of towers. 

VI 

Tall are the oaks whose acorns 

Drop in dark Auser's rill; 
Fat are the stags that champ 3 the boughs 

Of the Ciminian hill; 45 

Beyond all streams Clitumnus 

Is to the herdsman dear; 
Best of all pools the fowler loves 

The great Volsinian mere. 
1 Stronghold, fort. 2 Market. 3 Bite repeatedly and impatiently. 



HO RATI US 29 

VII 

But now no stroke of woodman 50 

Is heard by Auser's rill; 
No hunter tracks the stag's green path 

Up the Ciminian hill; 
Unwatched along Clitumnus 

Grazes the milk-white steer; 55 

Unharmed the waterfowl may dip 

In the Volsinian mere. 

VIII 

The harvests of Arretium, 

This year, old men shall reap; 
This year, young boys in Umbro 60 

Shall plunge the struggling sheep; 
And in the vats of Luna, 

This year, the must l shall foam 
Round the white feet of laughing girls 

Whose sires have marched to Rome. 65 

IX 

There be thirty chosen prophets, 

The wisest of the land, 
Who alway by Lars Porsena 

Both morn and evening stand; 
Evening and morn the Thirty 70 

Have turned the verses o'er, 
Traced from the right on linen white 

By mighty seers 2 of yore. 3 

x 

And with one voice 4 the Thirty 

Have their glad answer given : 75 

"Go forth, go forth, Lars Porsena; 
Go forth, beloved of Heaven; 

1 Juice from the grape. 3 Old. 

2 One who foresees the future. 4 All agreed. 



3° 



MACAU LAY 

Go, and return in glory 

To Clusium's royal dome, 
And hang round Nurscia's altars 80 

The golden shields of Rome." 

XI 

And now hath every city 

Sent up her tale 1 of men; 
The foot are fourscore thousand, 

The horse are thousands ten : 85 

Before the gates of Sutrium 

Is met the great array. 
A proud man was Lars Porsena 

Upon the trysting day. 

XII 

For all the Etruscan armies go 

Were ranged beneath his eye, 
And many a banished Roman, 

And many a stout ally; 
And with a mighty following 

To join the muster came 9s 

The Tusculan Mamilius, 

Prince of the Latian name. 

XIII 

But by the yellow Tiber 

Was tumult and affright: 
From all the spacious champaign 100 

To Rome men took their flight. 
A mile around the city 

The throng stopped up the ways; 
A fearful sight it was to see 

Through two long nights and days. 105 

1 Counted share. 



3i 



us 



HORA TIUS 

XIV 
For aged folks on crutches, 

And women great with child, 
And mothers sobbing over babes 

That clung to them and smiled, 
And sick men borne in litters l 

High on the necks of slaves, 
And troops of sunburnt husbandmen 

With reaping-hooks and staves, 

xv 
And droves of mules and asses 

Laden with skins of wine, 
And endless flocks of goats and sheep, 

And endless herds of kine, 2 
And endless trains of wagons 

That creaked beneath the weight 
Of corn-sacks and of household goods, 

Choked every roaring gate. 

XVI 

Now, from the rock Tarpeian, 

Could the wan burghers 3 spy 
The line of blazing villages 

Red in the midnight sky. 
The Fathers of the City, 

They sat 4 all night and day, 
For every hour some horseman came 

With tidings of dismay. 

XVII 

To eastward and to westward i 30 

Have spread the Tuscan bands; 
Nor house, nor fence, nor dovecote 5 ' 

In Crustumerium stands. 

1 A couch on shafts borne by men. 3 Citizens. 5 House for doves. 

2 Old plural of cow. 4 Continued in meeting. 



125 



32 



MACAU LAY 



Verbenna down to Ostia 

Hath wasted all the plain; 13s 

Astur hath stormed Janiculum, 

And the stout guards are slain. 

XVIII 

I wis, in all the Senate, 

There was no heart so bold, 
But sore it ached, and fast it beat, 140 

When that ill news was told. 
Forthwith up rose the Consul, 1 

Up rose the Fathers all; 
In haste they girded up their gowns, 

And hied 2 them to the wall. 14s 

XIX 

They held a council standing 

Before the River-Gate; 
Short time was there, ye well may guess, 

For musing 3 or debate. 
Out spake the Consul roundly: 150 

"The bridge must straight go down; 
For, since Janiculum is lost, 

Naught else can save the town." 

xx 

Just then a scout came flying, 

All wild with haste and fear : 155 

"To arms! to arms! Sir Consul; 

Lars Porsena is here." 
On the low hills to westward 

The Consul fixed his eye, 
And saw the swarthy storm of dust 160 

Rise fast along the sky. 

1 Chief official of Rome. 2 Hastened. 3 Slow thinking. 



HORATIUS 33 

XXI 

And nearer fast and nearer 

Doth the red whirlwind come; 
And louder still and still more loud, 
From underneath that rolling cloud, 165 

Is heard the trumpet's war-note proud, 

The trampling, and the hum. 
And plainly and more plainly 

Now through the gloom appears, 
Far to left and far to right, 170 

In broken gleams of dark-blue light, 
The long array of helmets bright, 

The long array of spears. 

XXII 

And plainly and more plainly, 

Above that glimmering line, 175 

Now might ye see the banners 

Of twelve fair cities shine; 
But the banner of proud Clusium 

Was highest of them all, 
The terror of the Umbrian, 180 

The terror of the Gaul. 

XXIII 

And plainly and more plainly 

Now might the burghers know, 
By port l and vest, 2 by horse and crest, 3 

Each warlike Lucumo. 185 

There Cilnius of Arretium 

On his fleet roan 4 was seen ; 
And Astur of the fourfold shield, 
Girt with the brand 5 none else may wield, 

1 Bearing. 3 Ornament on top of the helmet. 5 Sword. 

2 Dress. 4 Chestnut-colored horse. 



34 



MACAU LAY 

Tolumnius with the belt of gold, w 

And dark Verbenna from the hold 
By reedy Thrasymene. 

XXIV 

Fast by the royal standard, 

O'erlooking all the war, 
Lars Porsena of Clusium »os 

Sat in his ivory car. 1 
By the right wheel rode Mamilius 

Prince of the Latian name; 
And by the left false Sextus, 

That wrought the deed of shame. 



200 



XXV 

But when the face of Sextus 

Was seen among the foes, 
A yell that rent the firmament 

From all the town arose. 
On the housetops was no woman 205 

But spat towards him and hissed, 
No child but screamed out curses, 

And shook its little fist. 

XXVI 

But the Consul's brow was sad, 

And the Consul's speech was low, 210 

And darkly looked he at the wall, 

And darkly at the foe. 
"Their van will be upon us 

Before the bridge goes down; 
And if they once may win the bridge, «s 

What hope to save the town?" 

1 Chariot. 



HO RATI US 
XXVII 

Then out spake brave Horatius, 

The Captain of the Gate: 
"To every man upon this earth 

Death cometh soon or late. 
And how can man die better * 

Than facing fearful odds, 
For the ashes of his fathers, 

And the temples of his Gods, 

XXVIII 

"And for the tender mother 

Who dandled him to rest, 
And for the wife who nurses 

His baby at her breast, 
And for the holy maidens 

Who feed the eternal flame, 
To save them from false Sextus 

That wrought the deed of shame? 

XXIX 

"Hew 1 down the bridge, Sir Consul, 

With all the speed ye may; 
I, with two more to help me, 

Will hold the foe in play. 
In yon strait path a thousand 

May well be stopped by three. 
Now who will stand on either hand, 

And keep the bridge with me? " 

XXX 

Then out spake Spurius Lartius; 

A Ramnian proud was he: 
"Lo, I will stand at thy right hand. 

And keep the bridge with thee." 
l Cut 



35 



225 



230 



235 



240 



36 MACAULAY 

And out spake strong Herminius; 24s 

Of Titian blood was he: 
"I will abide on thy left side, 

And keep the bridge with thee." 

XXXI 

"Horatius," quoth the Consul, 

"As thou sayest, so let it be." 250 

And straight against that great array 

Forth went the dauntless Three. 
For Romans in Rome's quarrel 

Spared neither land nor gold, 
Nor son nor wife, nor limb nor life, 255 

In the brave days of old. 

XXXII 

Then none was for a party; * 

Then all were for the state; 
Then the great man helped the poor, 

And the poor man loved the great; 260 

Then lands were fairly portioned; 

Then spoils 2 were fairly sold : 
The Romans were like brothers 

In the brave days of old. 

XXXIII 

Now Roman is to Roman 265 

More hateful than a foe, 
And the Tribunes beard 3 the high, 

And the Fathers grind 4 the low. 
As we wax 5 hot in faction, 

In battle we wax cold; 270 

Wherefore men fight not as they fought 

In the brave days of old. 

1 Political group or faction. 3 Oppose to the face. 5 Grow. 

2 Things captured in war. 4 Oppress. 



HORATIUS 37 

XXXIV 

Now while the Three were tightening 

Their harness l on their backs, 
The Consul was the foremost man 27s 

To take in hand an ax; 
And Fathers mixed with Commons, 

Seized hatchet, bar, and crow, 
And smote upon the planks above, 

And loosed the props below. 2 3o 

xxxv 

Meanwhile the Tuscan army, 

Right glorious to behold, 
Came flashing back the noonday light, 
Rank behind rank, like surges bright 

Of a broad sea of gold. , 285 

Four hundred trumpets sounded 

A peal of warlike glee, 
As that great host, with measured tread, 
And spears advanced, and ensigns 2 spread, 
Rolled slowly toward the bridge's head, 290 

Where stood the dauntless Three. 

XXXVE 

The Three stood calm and silent, 

And looked upon the foes, 
And a great shout of laughter 

From all the vanguard rose; 295 

And forth three chiefs came spurring 

Before that deep array; 
To earth they sprang, their swords they drew, 
And lifted high their shields, and flew 

To win the narrow way; 300 

Vrmor. 2 Standards, insignia. 



38 



MACAU LAY 

XXXVII 
Aunus from green Tifernum 

Lord of the Hill of Vines; 
And Seius, whose eight hundred slaves 

Sicken in Ilva's mines; 
And Picus, long to Clusium 30s 

Vassal l in peace and war. 
Who led to fight his Umbrian powers 2 
From that gray crag where, girt with towers, 
The fortress of Nequinum lowers 

O'er the pale waves of Nar. 310 

XXXVIII 

Stout Lartius hurled down Aunus 

Into the stream beneath ; 
Herminius struck at Seius, 

And clove 3 him to the teeth ; 
At Picus brave Horatius 31s 

Darted one fiery thrust, 
And the proud Umbrian's gilded arms 

Clashed in the bloody dust. 

xxxix 

Then Ocnus of Falerii 

Rushed on the Roman Three; 320 

And Lausulus of Urgo, 

The rover 4 of the sea; 
And Aruns of Volsinium, 

Who slew the great wild boar, 
The great wild boar that had his den 325 

Amidst the reeds of Cosa's fen, 
And wasted fields, and slaughtered men, 

Along Albinia's shore. 

1 Dependent. 3 s P lit: - 

2 Forces of soldiers. * Pirate. 






HORATIUS 39 

XL 

Herminius smote down Aruns; 

Lartius laid Ocnus low; 33 o 

Right to the heart of Lausulus 

Horatius sent a blow. 
"Lie there," he cried, "fell l pirate! 

No more, aghast and pale, 
From Ostia's walls the crowd shall mark 335 

The track of thy destroying bark. 2 
No more Campania's hinds 3 shall fly 
To woods and caverns when they spy 

Thy thrice accursed sail." 

XLI 

But now no sound of laughter 34 o 

Was heard among the foes; 
A wild and wrathful clamor 

From all the vanguard rose. 
Six spears' length from the entrance 

Halted that deep array, 34s 

And for a space no man came forth 

To win the narrow way. 

XLII 

But hark! the cry is Astur: 

And lo! the ranks divide; 
And the great Lord of Luna 350 

Comes with his stately stride. 
Upon his ample shoulders 

Clangs loud the fourfold shield, 
And in his hand he shakes the brand 

Which none but he can wield. 355 

1 Fierce, ruthless. 2 Ship. 3 Peasants. 



40 MACAU LAY 

XLIII 

He smiled on those bold Romans 

A smile serene and high; 
He eyed the flinching Tuscans, 

And scorn was in his eye. 
Quoth he, "The she-wolf's litter 360 

Stand savagely at bay ; 
But will ye dare to follow, 

If Astur clears the way? ' ' 

XLIV 

Then, whirling up his broadsword 

With both hands to the height, 36s 

He rushed against Horatius, 

And smote with all his might. 
With shield and blade * Horatius 

Right deftly turned the blow. 
The blow, though turned, came yet too nigh; 370 

It missed his helm, 2 but gashed his thigh: 
The Tuscans raised a joyful cry 

To see the red blood flow. 

XLV 

He reeled, and on Herminius 

He leaned one breathing-space; 375 

Then, like a wild cat mad with wounds, 

Sprang right at Astur's face; 
Through teeth and skull and helmet 

So fierce a thrust he sped, 
The good sword stood a handbreadth out 380 

Behind the Tuscan's head. 

XLVI 

And the great Lord of Luna 
Fell at that deadly stroke, 
1 Sword. 2 Helmet. 



HO RATI US 41 

As falls on Mount Alvernus 

A thunder-smitten oak. 385 

Far o'er the crashing forest 

The giant arms lie spread; 
And the pale augurs, muttering low, 

Gaze on the blasted head. 

XLVII 

On Astur's throat Horatius 390 

Right firmly pressed his heel, 
And thrice and four times tugged amain, 

Ere he wrenched out the steel. 
"And see," he cried, "the welcome, 

Fair guests, that waits you here! 395 

What noble Lucumo comes next 

To taste our Roman cheer? " 

XL VIII 

But at his haughty challenge 

A sullen murmur ran, 
Mingled of wrath and shame and dread, 400 

Along that glittering van. 
There lacked not men of prowess, 1 

Nor men of lordly race; 
For all Etruria's noblest 

Were round the fatal place. 405 

XLIX 

But all Etruria's noblest 

Felt their hearts sink to see 
On the earth the bloody corpses, 

In the path the dauntless Three ; 
And from the ghastly entrance 410 

Where those bold Romans stood, 

1 Bravery. 



42 MACAU LAY 



All shrank, like boys who unaware, 
Ranging the woods to start a hare, 
Come to the mouth of the dark lair 1 
Where, growling low, a fierce old bear 415 

Lies amidst bones and blood. 

L 

Was none who would be foremost 

To lead such dire attack ; 
But those behind cried " Forward! " 

And those before cried "Back! " 420 

And backward now and forward 

Wavers the deep array; 
And on the tossing sea of steel 
To and fro the standards reel, 
And the victorious trumpet-peal 42s 

Dies fitfully away. 

LI 

Yet one man for one moment 

Stood out before the crowd; 
Well known was he to all the Three, 

And they gave him greeting loud : 430 

"Now welcome, welcome, Sextus! 

Now welcome to thy home! 
Why dost thou stay, and turn away? 

Here lies the road to Rome." 

LII 

Thrice looked he at the city, 43s 

Thrice looked he at the dead; 
And thrice came on in fury, 

And thrice turned back in dread ; 

x Den, 



HO RATI US 43 

And, white with fear and hatred, 

Scowled at the narrow way, 440 

Where, wallowing in a pool of blood, 

The bravest Tuscans lay. 

LIII 

But meanwhile ax and lever 

Have manfully been plied; 
And now the bridge hangs tottering 445 

Above the boiling tide. 
"Come back, come back, Horatius! " 

Loud cried the Fathers all. 
"Back, Lartius! back, Herminius! 

Back, ere the ruin fall! " 4SO 

LIV 

Back darted Spurius Lartius, 

Herminius darted back; 
And, as they passed, beneath their feet 

They felt the timbers crack. 
But when they turned their faces, 455 

And on the farther shore 
Saw brave Horatius stand alone, 

They would have crossed once more. 

LV 

But with a crash like thunder 

Fell every loosened beam, 460 

And, like a dam, the mighty wreck 

Lay right athwart * the stream. 
And a long shout of triumph 

Rose from the walls of Rome, 
As to the highest turret-tops 465 

Was splashed the yellow foam. 

1 Across. 



44 MACAU LAY 

LVI 

And, like a horse unbroken 

When first he feels the rein, 
The furious river struggled hard, 

And tossed his tawny mane, 470 

And burst the curb, and bounded 

Rejoicing to be free, 
And whirling down, in fierce career, 
Battlement and plank and pier, 1 

Rushed headlong to the sea. 47s 

lvii 

Alone stood brave Horatius, 

But constant 2 still in mind, 
Thrice thirty thousand foes before 

And the broad flood behind. 
" Down with him! " cried false Sextus, 480 

With a smile on his pale face. 
" Now yield thee," cried Lars Porsena, 

" Now yield thee to our grace." 3 

LVIII 

Round turned he, as not deigning 4 

Those craven 5 ranks to see; 485 

Naught spake he to Lars Porsena, 

To Sextus naught spake he; 
But he saw on Palatinus 

The white porch of his home, 
And he spake to the noble river 490 

That rolls by the towers of Rome: 

LIX 

"Oh, Tiber, father Tiber! 
To whom the Romans pray, 

1 Support. 2 Unshaken. 3 Mercy. 4 Condescending. 5 Cowardly. 



HORATIUS 45 

i 

A Roman's life, a Roman's arms, 

Take thou in charge this day! " 495 

So he spake, and speaking sheathed 

The good sword by his side, 
And with his harness on his back, 

Plunged headlong in the tide. 

LX 

No sound of joy or sorrow 500 

Was heard from either bank, 
But friends and foes in dumb surprise, 
With parted lips and straining eyes, 

Stood gazing where he sank; 
And when above the surges l 505 

They saw his crest appear, 
All Rome sent forth a rapturous cry, 
And even the ranks of Tuscany 

Could scarce forbear to cheer. 

LXI 

But fiercely ran the current, 510 

Swollen high by months of rain; 
And fast his blood was flowing, 

And he was sore in pain, 
And heavy with his armor, 

And spent 2 with changing blows; 5 i S 

And oft they thought him sinking, 

But still again he rose. 

LXII 

Never, I ween, did swimmer, 

In such an evil case, 3 
Struggle through such a raging flood 520 

Safe to the landing place; 

1 Waves. 2 Exhausted, ' Condition. 



46 MACAU LAY 

But his limbs were borne up bravely 

By the brave heart within, 
And our good father Tiber 

Bore bravely up his chin. 525 

LXIII 

"Curse on him!" quoth false Sextus; 

" Will not the villain drown? 
But for this stay, 1 ere close of day 

We should have sacked the town!" 
"Heaven help him!" quoth Lars Porsena, 530 

"And bring him safe to shore; 
For such a gallant feat 2 of arms 

Was never seen before." 

LXIV 

And now he feels the bottom; 

Now on dry earth he stands; 535 

Now round him throng the Fathers 

To press his gory hands; 
And now, with shouts and clapping, 

And noise of weeping loud, 
He enters through the River- Gate, 540 

Borne by the joyous crowd. 

LXV 

They gave him of the corn-land, 

That was of public right, 
As much as two strong oxen 

Could plow from morn till night; 545 

And they made a molten image, 

And set it up on high, 
And there it stands unto this day 

To witness if I lie. 

1 Hindrance, 2 Deed. 



HORATIUS 47 

LXVI 

It stands in the Comitium, 550 

Plain for all folk to see, 
Horatius in his harness, 

Halting 1 upon one knee; 
And underneath is written, 

In letters all of gold, 555 

How valiantly he kept the bridge 

In the brave days of old. 

LXVII 

And still his name sounds stirring 

Unto the men of Rome, 
As the trumpet-blast that cries to them 560 

To charge the Volscian home; 
And wives still pray to Juno 

For boys with hearts as bold 
As his who kept the bridge so well 

In the brave days of old. 565 

LXVIII 

And in the nights of winter, 

When the cold north winds blow, 
And the long howling of the wolves 

Is heard amidst the snow; 
When round the lonely cottage 570 

Roars loud the tempest's din, 
And the good logs of Algidus 

Roar louder yet within; 

LXIX 

When the oldest cask 2 is opened, 

And the largest lamp is lit; 575 

When the chestnuts glow in the embers, 

And the kid 3 turns on the spit; 

Stooping. 2 Cask of wine. 3 Young goat. 



48 MACAU LAY 

When young and old in circle 

Around the firebrands * close; 
When the girls are weaving baskets, 580 

And the lads are shaping bows; 

LXX 

When the goodman 2 mends his armor, 

And trims his helmet's plume; 
When the goodwife's shuttle merrily 

Goes flashing through the loom; 585 

With weeping and with laughter 

Still is the story told, 
How well Horatius kept the bridge 

In the brave days of old. 

1 Burning logs. 2 Father of the family. 



INTRODUCTION TO "THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE 

REGILLUS" 

Macaulay, in his introduction to "The Battle of the Lake 
Regillus" makes the following points: 

1. The poem is supposed to have been produced about ninety 

years after the lay of Horatius. 

2. Some characters are common to each. 

3. It has a slight tincture of Greek learning and of Greek super- 

stition. 

4. Images and incidents have been borrowed on principle from 

Homer's battle-pieces. 

5. It was a popular belief from an early period that the battle 

was won through the supernatural agency of Castor and 
Pollux who fought in the battle, carried the news to Rome, 
washed their steeds at a well in the Forum, and disappeared. 
One of their horses left a hoof mark in the rock near Lake 
Regillus. In their honor a great festival was kept on the 
Ides of Quintilis. 

6. The legend probably arose from the Roman general's vow- 

ing in the hour of peril, a temple to the Twin Gods, 
and further, from the statement by some man that he 
had seen godlike forms scattering the Latines. 

7. When the equestrian order of Roman citizens was remodeled 

it was ordained that a grand muster and inspection of the 
order should be a part of the ceremony performed on the 
anniversary of the battle. 

8. This poem is supposed to have been made for this great 

occasion. 

9. Antiquaries differ widely as to the situation of the field of 

battle. The opinion of those who suppose that the armies 
met between Frascati and the Monte Porzio has been 
followed in this poem. 

49 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 

A LAY SUNG AT THE FEAST OF CASTOR AND POLLUX 

ON THE IDES OF QUINTILIS, 

IN THE YEAR OF THE CITY CCCCLI 

I 

Ho, trumpets, sound a war note! 

Ho, lictors, clear the way! 
The Knights will ride, in all their pride, 

Along the streets to-day. 
To-day the doors and windows s 

Are hung with garlands all, 
From Castor in the Forum, 

To Mars without the wall. 
Each Knight is robed in purple, 

With olive each is crowned; 10 

A gallant war horse under each 

Paws haughtily the ground. 
While flows the Yellow River, 

While stands the Sacred Hill, 
The proud Ides of Quintilis is 

Shall have such honor still. 
Gay are the Martian Kalends, 

December's Nones are gay; 
But the proud Ides, when the squadron 1 rides, 

Shall be Rome's whitest day. 20 

11 
Unto the Great Twin Brethren 

We keep this solemn feast. 
Swift, swift, the Great Twin Brethren 
Came spurring from the east. 

1 Knights on horseback. 
50 






THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 5 1 

They came o'er wild Parthenius 25 

Tossing in waves of pine, 
O'er Cirrha's dome, o'er Adria's l foam, 

O'er purple Apennine, 
From where with flutes and dances 

Their ancient mansion rings, 30 

In lordly Lacedaemon, 

The city of two kings, 
To where, by Lake Regillus, 

Under the Porcian height, 
All in the lands of Tusculum, 35 

Was fought the glorious fight. 

in 
Now on the place of slaughter 

Are cots 2 and sheepfolds seen, 
And rows of vines, and fields of wheat, 

And apple orchards green ; 40 

The swine crush the big acorns 

That fall from Corne's oaks ; 
Upon the turf by the Fair Fount 

The reaper's pottage 3 smokes. 
The fisher baits his angle, 4 45 

The hunter twangs his bow; 
Little they think on those strong limbs 

That moulder deep below. 
Little they think how sternly 

That day the trumpets pealed; s© 

How in the slippery swamp of blood 

Warrior and war horse reeled; 
How wolves came with fierce gallop, 

And crows on eager wings, 
To tear the flesh of captains, 55 

And peck the eyes of kings; 
1 The Adriatic. 2 Huts. 3 Food. * Hook. 



52 MAC AULA Y 

How thick the dead lay scattered 

Under the Porcian height; 
How through the gates of Tusculum 

Raved the wild stream of flight; 60 

And how the Lake Regillus 

Bubbled with crimson foam, 
What time the Thirty Cities 

Came forth to war with Rome. 



IV 

But, Roman, when thou standest 65 

Upon that holy ground, 
Look thou with heed on the dark rock 

That girds the dark lake round ; 
So shalt thou see a hoof mark 

Stamped deep into the flint ; 70 

It was no hoof of mortal steed 

That made so strange a dint. 
There to the Great Twin Brethren 

Vow thou thy vows, and pray 
That they, in tempest and in fight, 7s 

Will keep thy head alway. 

v 

Since last the Great Twin Brethren 

Of mortal eyes were seen, 
Have years gone by an hundred 

And fourscore and thirteen. 80 

That summer a Virginius 

Was Consul first in place; 
The second was stout * Aulus, 

Of the Posthumian race. 

1 Brave, resolute. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 53 

The Herald of the Latines 85 

From Gabii came in state ; 
The Herald of the Latines 

Passed through Rome's Eastern Gate; 
The Herald of the Latines 

Did in our Forum stand, 90 

And there he did his office, 1 

A scepter 2 in his hand. 



VI 

"Hear, Senators and people 

Of the good town of Rome, 
The Thirty Cities charge you 95 

To bring the Tarquins home; 
And if ye still be stubborn, 

To work the Tarquins wrong, 
The Thirty Cities warn you, 

Look that your walls be strong." 100 

VII 

Then spake the Consul Aulus — 

He spake a bitter jest — 

Once the jays sent a message 

Unto the eagle's nest: — 
1 Now yield thou up thine eyrie 105 

Unto the carrion kite, 
Or come forth valiantly, and face 

The jays in deadly fight.' 
Forth looked in wrath the eagle; 

And carrion kite and jay, no 

Soon as they saw his beak and claw 

Fled screaming far away." 

1 Duty. 2 Symbol of office. 



54 MACAU LAY 

VIII 

The Herald of the Latines 

Hath hied him back in state ; 
The Fathers of the City us 

Are met in high debate. 
Then spake the elder Consul, 

An ancient man and wise: 
"Now hearken, Conscript Fathers, 

To that which I advise. 120 

In seasons of great peril 

'Tis good that one bear sway; 
Then choose we a Dictator, 

Whom all men shall obey. 
Camerium knows how deeply us 

The sword of Aulus bites, 
And all our city calls him 

The man of seventy fights. 
Then let him be Dictator 

For six months and no more, 130 

And have a Master of the Knights 

And axes twenty-four." 

IX 

So Aulus was Dictator, 

The man of seventy fights; 
He made ^Ebutius Elva 13s 

His Master of the Knights. 
On the third morn thereafter, • 

At dawning of the day, 
Did Aulus and ^Ebutius 

Set forth with their array. 140 

Sempronius Atratinus 

Was left in charge at home 
With boys, and with gray-headed men, 

To keep the walls of Rome. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 55 

Hard by the Lake Regillus 145 

Our camp was pitched at night; 
Eastward a mile the Latines lay, 

Under the Porcian height. 
Far over hill and valley 

Their mighty host was spread; 150 

And with their thousand watch fires 

The midnight sky was red. 



Up rose the golden morning 

Over the Porcian height, 
The proud Ides of Quintilis 155 

Marked evermore with white. 
Not without secret trouble 

Our bravest saw the foes; 
For girt by threescore thousand spears 

The thirty standards rose. 160 

From every warlike city 

That boasts the Latian name, 
Foredoomed to dogs and vultures, 

That gallant army came : 
From Setia's purple vineyards, 165 

From Norba's ancient wall, 
From the white streets of Tusculum, 

The proudest town of all; 
From where the Witch's Fortress 

O'erhangs the dark-blue seas; 170 

From the still glassy lake that sleeps 

Beneath Aricia's trees — 
Those trees in whose dim shadow 

The ghastly priest doth reign, 
The priest who slew the slayer, 175 

And shall himself be slain; 



56 MACAU LAY 

From the drear banks of Ufens, 

Where flights of marsh fowl play, 
And buffaloes lie wallowing 

Through the hot summer's day; 180 

From the gigantic watch towers, 

No work of earthly men, 
Whence Cora's sentinels o'erlook 

The never-ending fen; 
From the Laurentian jungle, 185 

The wild hog's reedy home; 
From the green steeps whence Anio leaps 

In floods of snow-white foam. 

XI 

Aricia, Cora, Norba, 

Velitrae, with the might 190 

Of Setia and of Tusculum, 

Were marshaled on the right. 
The leader was Mamilius, 

Prince of the Latian name; 
Upon his head a helmet 195 

Of red gold shone like flame ; 
High on a gallant charger 

Of dark-gray hue he rode ; 
Over his gilded armor 

A vest of purple flowed, 200 

Woven in the land of sunrise 

By Syria's dark-browed daughters, 
And by the sails of Carthage brought 

Far o'er the southern waters. 

XII 

Lavinium and Laurentum 205 

Had on the left their post, 
With all the banners of the marsh, 

And banners of the coast. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 57 

Their leader was false Sextus, 

That wrought the deed of shame ; 210 

With restless pace and haggard face 

To his last field he came. 
Men said he saw strange visions 

Which none beside might see, 
And that strange sounds were in his ears 21s 

Which none might hear but he. 
A woman fair and stately, 

But pale as are the dead, 
Oft through the watches of the night 

Sat spinning by his bed. 220 

And as she plied her distaff, 

In a sweet voice and low, 
She sang of great old houses 

And fights fought long ago. 
So spun she and so sang she, 225 

Until the east was gray, 
Then pointed to her bleeding breast, 

And shrieked, and fled away. 



XIII 

But in the center thickest 

Were ranged the shields of foes, 230 

And from the center loudest 

The cry of battle rose. 
There Tibur marched and Pedum 

Beneath proud Tarquin's rule 
And Ferentinum of the rock, 235 

And Gabii of the pool. 
There rode the Volscian succors; 

There, in a dark stern ring, 
The Roman exiles gathered close 

Around the ancient king. 240 



58 MACAU LAY 

Though white as Mount Soracte 

When winter nights are long, 
His beard flowed down o'er mail and belt, 

His heart and hand were strong ; 
Under his hoary * eyebrows 24 s 

Still flashed forth quenchless rage, 
And, if the lance shook in his gripe, 

'Twas more with hate than age. 
Close at his side was Titus 

On an Apulian steed — 250 

Titus, the youngest Tarquin, 

Too good for such a breed. 

XIV 

Now on each side the leaders 

Gave signal for the charge; 
And on each side the footmen 255 

Strode on with lance and targe; 2 
And on each side the horsemen 

Struck their spurs deep in gore, 
And front to front the armies 

Met with a mighty roar; 260 

And under that great battle 

The earth with blood was red; 
And, like the Pomptine fog at morn 

The dust hung overhead; 
And louder still and louder 26s 

Rose from the darkened field 
The braying of the war horns, 

The clang of sword and shield, 
The rush of squadrons sweeping 

Like whirlwinds o'er the plain, 270 

The shouting of the slayers, 

And screeching of the slain. 
1 White. 2 Shield. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 59 

XV 

False Sextus rode out foremost, 

His look was high and bold; 
His corselet l was of bison's 2 hide, 27s 

Plated with steel and gold. 
As glares the famished eagle 

From the Digentian rock 
On a choice lamb that bounds alone 

Before Bandusia's flock, 280 

Herminius glared on Sextus, 

And came with eagle speed, 
Herminius on black Auster, 

Brave champion on brave steed; 
In his right hand the broadsword 285 

That kept the bridge so well, 
And on his helm 3 the crown he won 

When proud Fidenae fell. 
Woe to the maid whose lover 

Shall cross his path to-day! 290 

False Sextus saw and trembled, 

And turned and fled away. 
As turns, as flies, the woodman 

In the Calabrian brake, 
When through the reeds gleams the round eye 295 

Of that fell speckled snake, 
So turned, so fled, false Sextus, 

And hid him in the rear, 
Behind the dark Lavinian ranks 

Bristling with crest and spear. 300 

XVI 

But far to the north ^Ebutius, 
The Master of the Knights, 

1 Armor for body. 2 Wild ox. 3 Helmet. 



6o MACAU LAY 

Gave Tubero of Norba 

To feed the Porcian kites. 
Next under those red horsehoofs 3 « 

Flaccus of Setia lay; 
Better had he been pruning 

Among his elms that day. 
Mamilius saw the slaughter, 

And tossed his golden crest, 
And towards the Master of the Knights 

Through the thick battle pressed. 
^Ebutius smote Mamilius 

So fiercely on the shield 
That the great lord of Tusculum 

Well nigh rolled on the field. 
Mamilius smote ^Ebutius, 

With a good aim and true, 
Just where the neck and shoulder join, 

And pierced him through and through; 
And brave iEbutius Elva 

Fell swooning to the ground, 
But a thick wall of bucklers * 

Encompassed him around. 
His clients from the battle 

Bare him some little space, 
And filled a helm from the dark lake, 

And bathed his brow and face; 
And when at last he opened 

His swimming eyes to light, 330 

Men say, the earliest word he spake 

Was, " Friends, how goes the fight?" 

XVII 

But meanwhile in the center 

Great deeds of arms were wrought; 

1 Shields. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 61 

There Aulus the Dictator 335 

And there Valerius fought. 
Aulus with his good broadsword 

A bloody passage cleared 
To where, amidst the thickest foes, 

He saw the long white beard. 340 

Flat lighted that good broadsword 

Upon proud Tarquin's head. 
He dropped the lance, he dropped the reins; 

He fell as fall the dead. 
Down Aulus springs to slay him, 34s 

With eyes like coals of fire; 
But faster Titus hath sprung down, 

And hath bestrode his sire. 
Latian captains, Roman knights, 

Fast down to earth they spring, 350 

And hand to hand they fight on foot 

Around the ancient king. 
First Titus gave tall Caeso 

A death wound in the face; 
Tall Caeso was the bravest man 35s 

Of the brave Fabian race; 1 
Aulus slew Rex of Gabii, 

The priest of Juno's shrine; 
Valerius smote down Julius, 

Of Rome's great Julian line — 360 

Julius, who left his mansion 

High on the Velian hill, 
And through all turns of weal and woe 

Followed proud Tarquin still. 
Now right across* proud Tarquin 36s 

A corpse was Julius laid; 
And Titus groaned with rage and grief, 

And at Valerius made. 
1 Family. 



62 MACAU LAY 



Valerius struck at Titus, 

And lopped off half his crest 370 

But Titus stabbed Valerius 

A span deep in the breast. 
Like a mast snapped by the tempest, 

Valerius reeled and fell. 
Ah! woe is me for the good house 37s 

That loves the people well! 
Then shouted loud the Latines, 

And with one rush they bore 
The struggling Romans backward 

Three lances' length and more; 380 

And up they took proud Tarquin 

And laid him on a shield, 
And four strong yeomen bare him, 

Still senseless, from the field. 

XVIII 

But*fiercer grew the fighting 38s 

Around Valerius dead; 
For Titus dragged him by the foot 

And Aulus by the head. 
"On, Latines, on!" quoth Titus, 

" See how the rebels fly!" 590 

"Romans, stand firm!" quoth Aulus 

"And win this fight or die! 
They must not give Valerius 

To raven and to kite; 
For aye * Valerius loathed the wrong 39s 

And aye upheld the right; 
And for your wives and babies 

In the front rank he fell. 
Now play the men for the good house 

That loves the people well!" 400 

1 Ever. Pronounced a. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 63 

XIX 

Then tenfold round the body 

The roar of battle rose, 
Like the roar of a burning forest 

When a strong north wind blows. 
Now backward and now forward 405 

Rocked furiously the fray, . 

Till none could see Valerius, 

And none wist 1 where he lay. 
For shivered arms and ensigns 

Were heaped there in a mound, 410 

And corpses stiff, and dying men 

That writhed and gnawed the ground; 
And wounded horses kicking, 

And snorting purple foam ; 
Right well did such a couch befit 415 

A Consular of Rome. 

xx 

But north looked the Dictator; 

North looked he long and hard, 
And spake to Caius Cossus, 

The Captain of his Guard: 420 

" Caius, of all the Romans 

Thou hast the keenest sight; 
Say, what through yonder storm of dust 

Comes from the Latian right? " 

XXI 

Then answered Caius Cossus: 425 

"I see an evil sight; 
The banner of proud Tusculum 
Comes from the Latian right. 
I see the plumed horsemen; 

And far before the rest 430 

1 Knew. Pret. of 'wit.' 



64 MACAU LAY 



I see the dark-gray charger, 

I see the purple vest, 
I see the golden helmet 

That shines far off like flame; 
So ever rides Mamilius 435 

Prince of the Latian name." 

XXII 

"Now hearken, Caius Cossus: 

Spring on thy horse's back; 
Ride as * the wolves of Apennine 

Were all upon thy track; 440 

Haste to our southward battle, 

And never draw thy rein 
Until thou find Herminius, 

And bid him come amain." 

XXIII 

So Aulus spake, and turned him 445 

Again to that fierce strife; 
And Caius Cossus mounted 

And rode for death and life. 
Loud clanged beneath his horsehoofs 

The helmets of the dead, 450 

And many a curdling pool of blood 

Splashed him from heel to head. 
So came he far to southward, 

Where fought the Roman host, 
Against the banners of the marsh 455 

And banners of the coast. 
Like corn before the sickle 

The stout Lavinians fell, 
Beneath the edge of the true sword 

That kept the bridge so well. 460 

1 As if. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 65 

XXIV 

"Herminius! Aulus greets thee; 

He bids thee come with speed 
To help our central battle, 

For sore is there our need. 
There wars the youngest Tarquin 465 

And there the Crest of Flame, 
The Tusculan Mamilius, 

Prince of the Latian name. 
Valerius hath fallen fighting 

In front of our array, 470 

And Aulus of the seventy fields 

Alone upholds the day." 

xxv 

Herminius beat his bosom, 

But never a word he spake. 
He clapped his hand on Auster's mane, 47s 

He gave the reins a shake ; 
Away, away went Auster 

Like an arrow from the bow — 
Black Auster was the fleetest steed 

From Aufidus to Po. 480 

XXVI 

Right glad were all the Romans 

Who, in that hour of dread, 
Against great odds bare up the war 

Around Valerius dead, 
When from the south the cheering 485 

Rose with a mighty swell : 
" Herminius comes, Herminius 

Who kept the bridge so well!" 



66 MAC AULA Y 

XXVII 

Mamilius spied Herminius 

And dashed across the way: 490 

"Herminius! I have sought thee 

Through many a bloody day. 
One of us two, Herminius, 

Shall never more go home. 
I will lay on for Tusculum, 495 

And lay thou on for Rome!" 

XXVIII 

All round them paused the battle, 

While met in mortal fray 
The Roman and the Tusculan, 

The horses black and gray. 500. 

Herminius smote Mamilius 

Through breastplate and through breast; 
And fast flowed out the purple blood 

Over the purple vest. 
Mamilius smote Herminius 505 

Through headpiece and through head; 
And side by side those chiefs of pride 

Together fell down dead. 
Down fell they dead together 

In a great lake of gore; 510 

And still stood all who saw them fall 

While men might count a score. 

XXIX 

Fast, fast, with heels wild spurning, 

The dark-gray charger fled; 
He burst through ranks of fighting men 515 

He sprang o'er heaps of dead. 
His bridle far outstreaming, 

His flanks all blood and foam, 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 67 

He sought the southern mountains, 

The mountains of his home. 520 

The pass was steep and rugged, 

The wolves they howled and whined; 
But he ran like a whirlwind up the pass, 

And he left the wolves behind. 
Through many a startled hamlet 52s 

Thundered his flying feet; 
He rushed through the gates of Tusculum, 

He rushed up the long white street; 
He rushed by tower and temple, 

And paused not from his race 530 

Till he stood before his master's door 

In the stately market place. 
And straightway round him gathered 

A pale and trembling crowd, 
And when they knew him, cries of rage 535 

Brake forth, and wailing loud; 
And women rent their tresses 

For their great prince's fall; 
And old men girt on their old swords, 

And went to man the wall. 540 

XXX 

f 

But, like a graven image, 

Black Auster kept his place, 
And ever wistfully he looked 

Into his master's face. 
The raven mane that daily, 54s 

With pats and fond caresses, 
The young Herminia washed and combed, 

And twined in even tresses, 
And decked with colored ribbons 

From her own gay attire, 550 

Hung sadly o'er her father's corpse 



68 MACAU LAY 

In carnage and in mire. 
Forth with a shout sprang Titus 

And seized black Auster's rein. 
Then Aulus sware a fearful oath, sss 

And ran at him amain : 
"The furies of thy brother 

With me and mine abide, 
If one of your accursed house 

Upon black Auster ride!" 560 

As on an Alpine watchtower 

From heaven comes down the flame, 
Full on the neck of Titus 

The blade of Aulus came; 
And out the red blood spouted 565 

In a wide arch and tall, 
As spouts a fountain in the court 

Of some rich Capuan's hall. 
The knees of all the Latines 

Were loosened with dismay 570 

When dead, on dead Herminius 

The bravest Tarquin lay. 

XXXI 

And Aulus the Dictator 

Stroked Auster's raven mane, 
With heed he looked unto the girths, 575 

With heed unto the rein. 
"Now bear me well, black Auster, 

Unto yon thick array, 
And thou and I will have revenge 

For thy good lord this day." 580 

XXXII 

So spake he, and was buckling 
Tighter black Auster's band, 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 69 

When he was aware of a princely pair 

That rode at his right hand. 
So like they were, no mortal 58s 

Might one from other know; 
White as snow their armor was, 

Their steeds were white as snow. 
Never on earthly anvil 

Did such rare armor gleam, 590 

And never did such gallant steeds 

Drink of an earthly stream. 

XXXIII 

And all who saw them trembled, 

And pale grew every cheek; 
And Aulus the Dictator s 95 

Scarce gathered voice to speak : 
" Say by what name men call you? 

What city is your home? 
And wherefore ride ye in such guise 

Before the ranks of Rome?" 600 

xxxiv 
" By many names men call us, 

In many lands we dwell: 
Well Samothracia knows us, 

Cyrene knows us well; 
Our house in gay Tarentum 605 

Is hung each morn with flowers; 
High o'er the masts of Syracuse 

Our marble portal 1 towers; 
But by the proud Eurotas 

Is our dear native home; 610 

And for the right we come to fight 

Before the ranks of Rome." 

1 Doorway of their temple. 



70 MACAU LAY 

XXXV 

So answered those strange horsemen, 

And each couched 1 low his spear; 
And forthwith all the ranks of Rome 615 

Were bold and of good cheer; 
And on the thirty armies 

Came wonder and affright, 
And Ardea wavered on the left, 

And Cora on the right. 620 

"Rome to the charge!" cried Aulus; 

" The foe begins to yield ! 
Charge for the hearth of Vesta! 

Charge for the Golden Shield! 
Let no man stop to plunder, 625 

But slay, and slay, and slay; 
The gods who live forever 

Are on our side to-day. " 

xxxvi 

Then the fierce trumpet flourish 

From earth to heaven arose. 630 

The kites know well the long stern swell 

That bids the Romans close. 2 
Then the good sword of Aulus 

Was lifted up to slay; 
Then like a crag down Apennine 63s 

Rushed Auster through the fray. 
But under those strange horsemen 

Still thicker lay the slain; 
And after those strange horses 

Black Auster toiled in vain. 640 

Behind them Rome's long battle 3 
1 Leveled. 2 Come to close quarters. 3 Line of battle. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 7 1 

Came rolling on the foe, 
Ensigns dancing wild above, 

Blades all in line below. 
So comes the Po in flood time 645 

Upon the Celtic plain ; 
So comes the squall, blacker than night, 

Upon the Adrian main. 
Now, by our Sire Quirinus, 

It was a goodly sight 650 

To see the thirty standards 

Swept down the tide of flight. 
So flies the spray of Adria 

When the black squall doth blow ; 
So corn sheaves in the flood time 655 

Spin down the whirling Po. 
False Sextus to the mountains 

Turned first his horse's head; 
And fast fled Ferentinum, 

And fast Lanuvium fled. 660 

The horsemen of Nomentum 

Spurred hard out of the fray; 
The footmen of Velitrae 

Threw shield and spear away. 
And underfoot was trampled, 665 

Amidst the mud and gore, 
The banner of proud Tusculum, 

That never stooped before ; 
And down went Flavius Faustus, 

Who led his stately ranks 670 

From where the apple blossoms wave 

On Anio's echoing banks; 
And Tullus of Arpinum, 

Chief of the Volscian aids, 
And Metius with the long fair curls, 67s 

The love of Anxur's maids, 



72 MACAU LAY 



And the white head of Vulso, 

The great Arician seer, 
And Nepos of Laurentum, 

The hunter of the deer; 680 

And in the back false Sextus 

Felt the good Roman steel, 
And wriggling in the dust he died, 

Like a worm beneath the wheel; 
And fliers and pursuers 68s 

Were mingled in a mass; 
And far away the battle 

Went roaring through the pass. 

XXXVII 

Sempronius Atratinus 

Sate in the Eastern Gate, 690 

Beside him were three Fathers, 

Each in his chair of state — 
Fabius, whose nine stout grandsons 

That day were in the field, 
And Manlius, eldest of the Twelve 695 

Who kept the Golden Shield, 
And Sergius, the High Pontiff, 

For wisdom far renowned; 
In all Etruria's colleges 

Was no such Pontiff found. 700 

And all around the portal, 

And high above the wall, 
Stood a great throng of people, 

But sad and silent all; 
Young lads and stooping elders 70s 

That might not bear the mail, 1 
Matrons with lips that quivered, 

And maids with faces pale. 

1 Armor. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 73 

Since the first gleam of daylight, 

Sempronius had not ceased 710 

To listen for the rushing 

Of horsehoofs from the east. 
The mist of eve was rising, 

The sun was hastening down, 
When he was aware of a princely pair 7 i S 

Fast pricking towards the town. 
So like they were, man never 

Saw twins so like before; 
Red with gore their armor was, 

Their steeds were red with gore. 720 

XXXVIII 

"Hail to the great Asylum! 

Hail to the hilltops seven ! 
Hail to the fire that burns for aye, 

And the shield that fell from heaven! 
This day, by Lake Regillus, 725 

Under the Porcian height, 
All in the lands of Tusculum 

Was fought a glorious fight. 
To-morrow your Dictator 

Shall bring in triumph home 730 

The spoils of thirty cities 

To deck the shrines of Rome!" 

xxxix 

Then burst from that great concourse 

A shout that shook the towers, 
And some ran north, and some ran south, 735 

Crying, "The day is ours! " 
But on rode these strange horsemen 

With slow and lordly pace, 
And none who saw their bearing 

Durst ask their name or race. 740 



74 MACAU LAY 



On rode they to the Forum, 

While laurel boughs and flowers, 
From housetops and from windows, 

Fell on their crests in showers. 
When they drew nigh to Vesta, 745 

They vaulted down amain, 
And washed their horses in the well 

That springs by Vesta's fane. 1 
And straight again they mounted, 

And rode to Vesta's door; 750 

Then, like a blast, away they passed, 

And no man saw them more. 

XL 

And all the people trembled, 

And pale grew every cheek; 
And Sergius the High Pontiff 755 

Alone found voice to speak: 
"The gods who live for ever 

Have fought for Rome to-day! 
These be the Great Twin Brethren 

To whom the Dorians pray. 760 

Back comes the Chief in triumph 

Who in the hour of fight 
Hath seen the Great Twin Brethren 

In harness on his right. 
Safe comes the ship to haven, 76s 

Through billows and through gales, 
If once the Great Twin Brethren 

Sit shining on their sails. 
Wherefore they washed their horses 

In Vesta's holy well, 770 

Wherefore they rode to Vesta's door, 

I know, but may not tell. 
1 Shrine. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 75 

Here, hard by Vesta's Temple, 

Build we a stately dome 
Unto the Great Twin Brethren 77s 

Who fought so well for Rome. 
And when the months returning 

Bring back this day of fight, 
The proud Ides of Quintilis, 

Marked evermore with white, 780 

Unto the Great Twin Brethren 

Let all the people throng, 
With chaplets and with offerings, 

With music and with song; 
And let the doors and windows 78s 

Be hung with garlands all, 
And let the Knights be summoned 

To Mars without the wall; 
Thence let them ride in purple 

With joyous trumpet sound, 7go 

Each mounted on his war horse, 

And each with olive crowned; 
And pass in solemn order 

Before the sacred dome, 
Where dwell the Great Twin Brethren 79s 

W T ho fought so well for Rome!" 



INTRODUCTION TO " VIRGINIA" 

Macaulay, in his introduction to " Virginia", makes the fol- 
lowing points: 

i . A collection consisting exclusively of war songs would give 
an imperfect, or rather an erroneous, notion of the spirit 
of the old Latin ballads, for the war songs dealt only with 
Patrician or upper class heroes. 

2. But there was a class of compositions in which the great 

houses were by no means so courteously treated. These 
dealt with those parts of early Roman history which re- 
late to the long contest between the great families of the 
Patricians and the commonalty or Plebeians. 

3. The Plebeians suffered under many grievances: particularly, 

their exclusion from the highest magistracies; their ex- 
clusion from all share in the public lands; and the hard 
laws of debtor and creditor. 

4. But the Plebeians had secured some constitutional rights. 

They had secured representation by Tribunes who, though 
they had no share in the government, could safeguard 
the people. And the people had gradually wrung other 
concessions from the aristocracy. 

5. In A. u. c. 378 the Tribune, Caius Licinius, seconded 

by his colleague, Lucius Sextius, proposed the three 
Licinian laws to redress the three grievances. Being 
elected year after year, finally they won. The result 
was a united city which became the mistress of the 
world. 

6. During the great Licinian contest the Plebeian poets were, 

doubtless, not silent. And songs are powerful at such 
times. These songs are satirical poems. This was a 

76 



VIRGINIA 77 

native form of composition in which the Latin literature 
excels. 

These minstrels appear generally to have taken the popular 
side. Doubtless they versified the speeches of the Trib- 
unes and heaped abuse on the leaders of the aristocracy 
dwelling on every personal defect, domestic scandal, and 
dishonorable tradition. 

During the Licinian conflict a fierce opponent of the Ple- 
beians was Appius Claudius Crassus whose line offered a 
shining mark for the satirists as its history was noted for 
cowardice and arrogance. His grandfather called by the 
same name was as detested as Sextus Tarquinius for, 
during a crisis, not only had he secured the abolition of 
the Tribuneship and the establishment of a Council of 
Ten, called Decemvirs, but his administration had been 
swept away as a result of an attempted outrage upon a 
beautiful young girl of humble birth. 

This story was doubtless seized upon by the minstrels. 

"In order that the reader may judge fairly of these frag- 
ments of the lay of Virginia, he must imagine himself a 
Plebeian who has just voted for the reelection of Sextius 
and Licinius. All the power of the Patricians has been 
exerted to throw out the two great champions of the 
Commons. Every Posthumius, iEmilius, and Cornelius 
has used his influence to the utmost. Debtors have been 
let out of the workhouses on condition of voting against 
the men of the people; clients have been posted to hiss 
and to interrupt the favorite candidates ; Appius Claudius 
Crassus has spoken with more than his usual eloquence 
and asperity; all has been in vain; Licinius and Sextius 
have a fifth time carried all the tribes ; work is suspended ; 
the booths are closed; the Plebeians bear on their shoul- 
ders the two champions of liberty through the Forum. 
Just at this moment it is announced that a popular poet, 
a zealous adherent of the Tribunes, has made a new song 



78 MACAU LAY 

which will cut the Claudian nobles to the heart. The 
crowd gathers round him, and calls on him to recite it. 
He takes his stand on the spot where, according to tradi- 
tion, Virginia, more than seventy years ago, was seized 
by the pander of Appius, and he begins his story." 



VIRGINIA 

FRAGMENTS OF A LAY SUNG IN THE FORUM ON THE DAY WHEREON 
LUCIUS SEXTIUS SEXTINUS LATERANUS AND CAIUS LICINIUS 
CALVUS STOLO WERE ELECTED TRIBUNES OF THE COMMONS THE 
FIFTH TIME, IN THE YEAR OF THE CITY CCCLXXXII 1 

Ye good men of the Commons, with loving hearts and true, 
Who stand by the bold Tribunes that still have stood by you, 
Come, make a circle round me, and mark my tale with care, — 
A tale of what once Rome hath borne, of what Rome yet may 

bear. 
This is no Grecian fable, 2 of fountains running wine, 5 

Of maids with snaky tresses, or sailors turned to swine. 
Here, in this very Forum, under the noonday sun, 
In sight of all the people, the bloody deed was done. 
Old men still creep among us who saw that fearful day, 
Just seventy years and seven ago, when the wicked Ten bare 

sway. 10 

Of all the wicked Ten still the names are held accursed, 
And of all the wicked Ten Appius Claudius was the worst. 
He stalked along the Forum like King Tarquin in his pride; 
Twelve axes waited on him, six marching on a side. 
The townsmen shrank to right and left, and eyed askance with 

fear is 

His lowering brow, his curling mouth, which always seemed to 

sneer. 
That brow of hate, that mouth of scorn, marks all the kindred 

still; 
For never was there Claudius yet but wished the Commons ill. 

1 B. C. 372. 2 Myth. 

79 



80 MACAU LAY 

Nor lacks he fit attendance; for close behind his heels, 
With outstretched chin and crouching pace, the client Marcus 
steals, 2c 

His loins girt up to run with speed, be the errand what it may, 
And the smile flickering on his cheek for aught his lord may say. 
Such varlets pimp and jest for hire among the lying Greeks; 
Such varlets still are paid to hoot when brave Licinius speaks. 
Where'er ye shed the honey, the buzzing flies will crowd; 25 

Where'er ye fling the carrion, the raven's croak is loud; 
Where'er down Tiber garbage floats, the greedy pike ye see; 
And wheresoe'er such lord is found, such client still will be. 

Just then, as through one cloudless chink in a black and 

stormy sky 
Shines out the dewy morning-star, a fair young girl came by. 30 
With her small tablets in her hand and her satchel on her 

arm, 
Home she went bounding from the school, nor dreamed of 

shame or harm; 
And past those dreaded axes she innocently ran, 
With bright, frank brow that had not learned to blush at gaze 

of man; 
And up the Sacred Street she turned, and, as she danced along, 35 
She warbled gayly to herself lines of the good old song, 
How for a sport the princes came spurring from the camp, 
And found Lucrece combing the fleece under the midnight 

lamp. 
The maiden sang as sings the lark, when up he darts his flight, 
From his nest in the green April corn, to meet the morning light; 
And Appius heard her sweet young voice, and saw her sweet 

young face, 4I 

And loved her with the accursed love of his accursed race, 
And all along the Forum and up the Sacred Street, 
His vulture eye pursued the trip of those small glancing feet. 



VIRGINIA 8 1 

Over the Alban mountains the light of morning broke; 45 
From all the roofs of the Seven Hills curled the thin wreaths of 

smoke ; 
The city gates were opened; the Forum, all alive 
With buyers and with sellers, was humming like a hive; 
Blithely on brass and timber the craftsman's stroke was ringing, 
And blithely o'er her panniers x the market girl was singing, so 
And blithely young Virginia came smiling from her home ; 
Ah! woe for young Virginia, the sweetest maid in Rome! 
With her small tablets in her hand and her satchel on her arm, 
Forth she went bounding to the school, nor dreamed of shame 

or harm. 
She crossed the Forum shining with stalls 2 in alleys gay, 55 
And just had reached the very spot whereon I stand this day, 
When up the varlet Marcus came; not such as when erewhile 
He crouched behind his patron's heels with the true client smile; 
He came with lowering forehead, swollen features, and clenched 

fist, 
And strode across Virginia's path, and caught her by the wrist. 60 
Hard strove the frightened maiden and screamed with look 

aghast, 
And at her scream from right and left the folk came running 

fast, — 
The money changer Crispus, with his thin silver hairs, 
And Hanno from the stately booth glittering with Punic 3 wares, 
And the strong smith Muraena, grasping a half-forged brand, 65 
And Volero the flesher, 4 his cleaver in his hand. 
All came in wrath and wonder, for all knew that fair child, 
And, as she passed them twice a day, all kissed their hands and 

smiled ; 
And the strong smith Muraena gave Marcus such a blow, 
The caitiff reeled three paces back, and let the maiden go. 70 
Yet glared he fiercely round him, and growled in harsh, fell tone, 
"She's mine, and I will have her; I seek but for mine own. 
1 Baskets. 2 Small shops. 3 Carthaginian. 4 Butcher. 



82 MACAULAY 

She is my slave, born in my house, and stolen away and sold, 
The year of the sore sickness, ere she was twelve hours old. 
'Twas in the sad September, the month of wail and fright; 75 
Two augurs were borne forth that morn, the Consul died ere 

night. 
I wait on Appius Claudius, I waited on his sire; 
Let him who works the client wrong beware the patron's ire!" 

So spake the varlet Marcus; and dread and silence came 
On all the people at the sound of the great Claudian name. 80 
For then there was no Tribune to speak the word of might, 
Which makes the rich man tremble, and guards the poor man's 

right. 
There was no brave Licinius, no honest Sextius then; 
But all the city, in great fear, obeyed the wicked Ten. 
Yet ere the varlet Marcus again might seize the maid, 85 

Who clung tight to Muraena's skirt and sobbed and shrieked 

for aid, 
Forth through the throng of gazers the young Icilius pressed, 
And stamped his foot, and rent his gown, and smote upon his 

breast, 
And sprang upon that column, by many a minstrel sung, 
Whereon three moldering helmets, three rusting swords, are 

hung, 90 

And beckoned to the people, and in bold voice and clear 
Poured thick and fast the burning words which tyrants quake 

to hear: 

"Now, by your children's cradles, now by your fathers' 

graves, 

Be men to-day, Quirites, or be forever slaves! 

For this did Servius give us laws? For this did Lucrece bleed? 95 

For this was the great vengeance wrought on Tarquin's evil 

seed? 1 

1 Posterity. 



VIRGINIA 83 

For this did those false sons make red the axes of their sire? 
For this did Scaevola's right hand hiss in the Tuscan fire? 
Shall the vile fox-earth awe the race that stormed the lion's den? 
Shall we, who could not brook one lord, crouch to the wicked 

Ten? 100 

O for that ancient spirit which curbed the Senate's will! 
O for the tents which in old time whitened the Sacred Hill ! 
In those brave days our fathers stood firmly side by side; 
They faced the Marcian fury, they tamed the Fabian pride; 
They drove the fiercest Quinctius an outcast forth from Rome; 105 
They sent the haughtiest Claudius with shivered fasces home. 
But what their care bequeathed us our madness flung away; 
All the ripe fruit of threescore years was blighted in a day. 
Exult, ye proud Patricians! The hard-fought fight is o'er. 
We strove for honors — 'twas in vain; for freedom — 'tis no 

more. no 

No crier to the polling summons the eager throng; 
No tribune breathes the word of might that guards the weak 

from wrong. 
Our very hearts, that were so high, sink down beneath your will. 
Riches and lands, and power and state — ye have them; keep 

them still. 
Still keep the holy fillets; still keep the purple gown, 115 

The axes and the curule chair, the car and laurel crown ; 
Still press us for your cohorts, and, when the fight is done, 
Still fill your garners from the soil which our good swords have 

won. 
Still, like a spreading ulcer which leech-craft 1 may not cure, 
Let your foul usance eat away the substance 2 of the poor. 120 
Still let your haggard debtors bear all their fathers bore; 
Still let your dens of torment be noisome as of yore; 
No fire when Tiber freezes ; no air in dog-star heat ; 
And store of rods for free-born backs, and holes for free-born 

feet. 
1 Medical skill. 2 Possessions. 



84 MACAU LAY 

Heap heavier still the fetters, bar closer still the grate; * i 2S 

Patient as sheep we yield us up unto your cruel hate. 
But, by the Shades beneath us, and by the Gods above, 
Add not unto your cruel hate your yet more cruel love ! 
Have ye not graceful ladies, whose spotless lineage springs 
From Consuls and High Pontiffs and ancient Alban Kings? 130 
Ladies, who deign not on our paths to set their tender feet, 
Who from their cars look down with scorn upon the wondering 

street, 
Who in Corinthian mirrors their own proud smiles behold, 
And breathe of Capuan odors, and shine with Spanish gold? 
Then leave the poor Plebeian his single tie to life — 135 

The sweet, sweet love of daughter, of sister, and of wife, 
The gentle speech, the balm for all that his vexed soul endures, 
The kiss, in which he half forgets even such a yoke as yours. 
Still let the maiden's beauty swell the father's breast with pride; 
Still let the bridegroom's arms infold an unpolluted bride. 140 
Spare us the inexpiable wrong, the unutterable shame, 
That turns the coward's heart to steel, the sluggard's blood to 

flame, 
Lest, when our latest hope is fled, ye taste of our despair, 
And learn by proof, in some wild hour, how much the wretched 

dare." 

********** 

Straightway Virginius led the maid a little space aside, 145 
To where the reeking shambles 2 stood, piled up with horn and 

hide, 
Close to yon low dark archway, where in a crimson flood 
Leaps down to the great sewer the gurgling stream of blood. 
Hard by, a flesher on a block had laid his whittle 3 down; 
Virginius caught the whittle up and hid it in his gown. 150 

And then his eyes grew very dim, and his throat began to swell, 
And in a hoarse, changed voice he spake, "Farewell, sweet child! 
Farewell ! 

1 The bars. 2 Slaughterhouses. 3 Knife. 



VIRGINIA 85 

O how I loved my darling! Though stern I sometimes be, 
To thee thou know'st I was not so. Who could be so to thee? 
And how my darling loved me ! How glad she was to hear 15s 
My footstep on the threshold when I came back last year! 
And how she danced with pleasure to see my civic crown, 
And took my sword and hung it up, and brought me forth my 

gown! 
Now, all those things are over — yes, all thy pretty ways, 
Thy needlework, thy prattle, thy snatches of old lays; 160 

And none will grieve when I go forth, or smile when I return, 
Or watch beside the old man's bed, or weep upon his urn. 
The house that was the happiest within the Roman walls, 
The house that envied not the wealth of Capua's marble halls, 
Now, for the brightness of thy smile, must have eternal gloom, 165 
And for the music of thy voice, the silence of the tomb. 
The time is come. See how he points his eager hand this way ! 
See how his eyes gloat on thy grief, like a kite's upon the prey! 
With all his wit, he little deems that, spurned, betrayed, bereft, 
Thy father hath in his despair one fearful refuge left. 170 

He little deems that in this hand I clutch what still can save 
Thy gentle youth from taunts and blows, the portion of the 

slave; 
Yea, and from nameless evil, that passeth taunt and blow — 
Foul outrage which thou knowest not, which thou shalt never 

know. 
Then clasp me round the neck once more, and give me one more 

kiss; 1 75 

And now, mine own dear little girl, there is no way but this." 
With that he lifted high the steel and smote her in the side, 
And in her blood she sank to earth, and with one sob she died. 

Then, for a little moment, all people held their breath, 
And through the crowded Forum was stillness as of death; 180 
And in another moment brake forth from one and all 
A cry as if the Volscians were coming o'er the wall. 



86 MACAU LAY 

Some with averted faces shrieking fled home amain; 
Some ran to call a leech, x and some ran to lift the slain; 
Some felt her lips and little wrist, if life might there be found; 185 
And some tore up their garments fast, and strove to stanch the 

wound. 
In vain they ran and felt and stanched; for never truer blow 
That good right arm had dealt in fight against a Volscian foe. 

When Appius Claudius saw that deed, he shuddered and sank 
down, 
And hid his face some little space with the corner of his gown, 190 
Till with white lips and bloodshot eyes, Virginius tottered nigh, 
And stood before the judgment seat, and held the knife on high. 
" O dwellers in the nether gloom, avengers of the slain, 
By this dear blood I cry to you, do right between us twain; 
And even as Appius Claudius hath dealt by me and mine, 195 
Deal you by Appius Claudius and all the Claudian line!" 
So spake the slayer of his child, and turned and went his 

way; 
But first he cast one haggard glance to where the body lay, 
And writhed, and groaned a fearful groan, and then with stead- 
fast feet 
Strode right across the market place unto the Sacred Street. 200 

Then up sprang Appius Claudius: "Stop him, alive or dead! 
Ten thousand pounds of copper to the man who brings his 

head." 
He looked upon his clients, but none would work his will; 
He looked upon his lictors, but they trembled and stood still. 
And, as Virginius through the press 2 his way in silence cleft, 205 
Ever the mighty multitude fell back to right and left. 
And he hath passed in safety unto his woeful home, 
And there ta'en horse to tell the camp what deeds are done in 

Rome. 

1 Physician. 2 Throng. 



VIRGINIA 87 

By this the flood of people was swollen from every side, 
And streets and porches 1 round were rilled with that o'erflow- 

ing tide; 210 

And close around the body gathered a little train 
Of them that were the nearest and dearest to the slain. 
They brought a bier, and hung it with many a cypress crown, 
And gently they uplifted her, and gently laid her down. 2I4 
The face of Appius Claudius wore the Claudian scowl and sneer, 
And in the Claudian note 2 he cried, "What doth this rabble here? 
Have they no crafts 3 to mind at home, that hitherward they 

stray? 
Ho! lictors, clear the market place, and fetch the corpse away!" 
The voice of grief and fury till then had not been loud; 
But a deep sullen murmur wandered among the crowd, 220 

Like the moaning noise that goes before the whirlwind on the 

deep, 
Or the growl of a fierce watch dog but half -aroused from sleep. 
But when the lictors at that word, tall yeomen 4 all and strong, 
Each with his ax and sheaf of twigs, went down into the throng, 
Those old men say, who saw that day of sorrow and of sin, 225 
That in the Roman Forum was never such a din. 
The wailing, hooting, cursing, the howls of grief and hate, 
Were heard beyond the Pincian Hill, beyond the Latin Gate. 
But close around the body, where stood the little train 
Of them that were the nearest and dearest to the slain, 230 

No cries were there, but teeth set fast, low whispers and black 

frowns, 
And breaking up of benches and girding up of gowns. 
'Twas well the lictors might not pierce to where the maiden lay, 
Else surely had they been all twelve torn limb from limb that day. 
Right glad they were to struggle back, blood streaming from 

their heads, 23s 

With axes all in splinters, and raiment all in shreds. 

1 Covered walks. 3 Trades, occupation, business. 

2 Manner of speaking. 4 Guards. 



88 MACAU LAY 

Then Appius Claudius gnawed his lip, and the blood left his 

cheek, 
And thrice he beckoned with his hand, and thrice he strove to 

speak, 
And thrice the tossing Forum set up a frightful yell: 
"See, see, thou dog! what thou hast done, and hide thy shame 

in hell! 24c 

Thou that wouldst make our maidens slaves must first make 

slaves of men. 
Tribunes ! Hurrah for Tribunes ! Down with the wicked Ten ! ' ' 
And straightway, thick as hailstones, came whizzing through 

the air 
Pebbles and bricks and potsherds all round the curule chair; 
And upon Appius Claudius great fear and trembling came, 245 
For never was a Claudius yet brave against aught but shame. 
Though the great houses love us not, we own, to do them 

right, 
That the great houses, all save one, have borne them well in 

fight. 
Still Caius of Corioli, his triumphs and his wrongs, . 
His vengeance and his mercy, live in our camp-fire songs. 250 
Beneath the yoke of Furius oft have Gaul and Tuscan bowed; 
And Rome may bear the pride of him of whom herself is proud. 
But evermore a Claudius shrinks from a stricken field, 
And changes color like a maid at sight of sword and shield. 
The Claudian triumphs all were won within the city towers; 255 
The Claudian yoke was never pressed on any neck but ours. 
A Cossus, like a wild cat, springs ever at the face; 
A Fabius rushes like a boar against the shouting chase; 
But the vile Claudian litter, raging with currish spite, 
Still yelps and snaps at those who run, still runs from those who 

smite. 260 

So now 'twas seen of Appius. When stones began to fly, 
He shook and crouched, and wrung his hands, and smote upon 

his thigh: 



VIRGINIA 89 

"Kind clients, honest lictors, stand by me in this fray! 
Must I be torn in pieces? Home, home, the nearest way!" 
While yet he spake, and looked around with a bewildered 

stare, 265 

Four sturdy lictors put their necks beneath the curule chair; 
And fourscore clients on the left and fourscore on the right 
Arrayed themselves with swords and staves, and loins girt up 

for fight. 
But, though without or l staff or sword, so furious was the 

throng, 
That scarce the train with might and main could bring their 

lord along. 270 

Twelve times the crowd made at him, five times they seized his 

gown; 
Small chance was his to rise again, if once they got him down; 
And sharper came the pelting, and evermore the yell — 
" Tribunes! We will have Tribunes! " — rose with a louder swell; 
And the chair tossed as tosses a bark with tattered sail 27s 

When raves the Adriatic beneath an eastern gale, 
When the Calabrian sea-marks are lost in clouds of spume, 2 
And the great Thunder Cape has donned his veil of inky gloom. 
One stone hit Appius in the mouth, and one beneath the ear, 
And ere he reached Mount Palatine he swooned with pain and 

fear. 280 

His cursed head, that he was wont to hold so high with pride, 
Now, like a drunken man's, hung down and swayed from side 

to side; 
And when his stout retainers had brought him to his door, 
His face and neck were all one cake of filth and clotted gore. 
As Appius Claudius was that day, so may his grandson be! 285 
God send Rome one such other sight, and send me there to see! 

1 Poetical for "either." 2 Foam. 



INTRODUCTION TO "THE PROPHECY OF CAPYS" 

Macaulay, in his introduction to "The Prophecy of Capys", 

makes the following points: 

i. Romulus, after he had slain his granduncle Amulius, and 
restored his grandfather Numitor, determined to quit 
Alba, the hereditary domain of the Sylvian princes, and 
to found a new city. 

2. This event was likely to be a favorite theme of the old Latin 

minstrels, who would attribute the project to divine in- 
timation of the destined power of the city and who would 
introduce seers foretelling victories especially the last 
great one. 

3. There is nothing strange in the supposition that the poet 

who was employed to celebrate the first great triumph of 
the Romans over the Greeks might throw his song of 
exultation into this form. 

4. The occasion was one likely to excite the strongest feelings 

of national pride. Lucius Posthumius Megellus had been 
sent for the purpose of demanding reparation for injuries 
to Tarentum where he had been insulted, his gown being 
bespattered with filth. Declaring that "it will take not a 
little blood to wash this gown," he returned home. Rome 
declared war. Despite Pyrrhus' army and elephants sent 
to help the Greeks, despite their fame in arms they were 
defeated by the Romans. Manius Curius Dentatus, the 
successful general, received a great triumph in the city. 

5. On such a day of triumphal procession the patriotic en- 

thusiasm of a Latin poet would vent itself, admitting the 
superiority of the Greeks in the lazy arts of peace but 
boasting of the Roman preeminence in all the qualities 
which fit a people to subdue and to govern mankind. 

90 






THE PROPHECY OF CAPYS 91 

6. The following lay belongs to the latest age of Latin ballad 
poetry. The minstrel's poem shows a much wider ac- 
quaintance with the geography, manners, and productions 
of remote nations than would have been found in the 
compositions of an earlier age. The poet troubles himself 
little about dates and introduces the things spoken of 
by travelers without thought of inquiring whether these 
things existed in the age of Romulus. 



THE PROPHECY OF CAPYS 

A LAY SUNG AT THE BANQUET IN THE CAPITOL, ON THE DAY 
WHEREON MANIUS CURIUS DENTATUS, A SECOND TIME CONSUL, 
TRIUMPHED OVER KING PYRRHUS AND THE TARENTINES, IN 
THE YEAR OF THE CITY CCCCLXXIX 1 

I 

Now slain is King Amulius, 

Of the great Sylvian line, 
Who reigned in Alba Longa, 

On the throne of Aventine. 
Slain is the Pontiff Camers, s 

Who spake the words of doom: 
"The children to the Tiber; 

The mother to the tomb." 

ii 

In Alba's lake no fisher 

His net to-day is flinging; 10 

On the dark rind of Alba's oaks 

To-day no ax is ringing; 
The yoke hangs o'er the manger, 

The scythe lies in the hay; 
Through all the Alban villages 15 

No work is done to-day. 

in 

And every Alban burgher 

Hath donned his whitest gown; 

And every head in Alba 

Weareth a poplar crown; 20 

1 B. C. 275. 
92 



THE PROPHECY OF CAPYS 93 

And every Alban doorpost 

With boughs and flowers is gay; 
For to-day the dead are living, 

The lost are found to-day. 



IV 

They were doomed by a bloody king, 25 

They were doomed by a lying priest; 
They were cast on the raging flood, 

They were tracked by the raging beast. 
Raging beast and raging flood 

Alike have spared their prey; 3 o 

And to-day the dead are living, 

The lost are found to-day. 

v 
The troubled river knew them 

And smoothed his yellow foam, 
And gently rocked the cradle 

That bore the fate of Rome. 
The ravening she- wolf knew them 

And licked them o'er and o'er, 
And gave them of her own fierce milk, 

Rich with raw flesh and gore. 4 o 

Twenty winters, twenty springs, 

Since then have rolled away; 
And to-day the dead are living, 

The lost are found to-day. 

VI 

Blithe it was to see the twins, 4S 

Right goodly youths and tall, 
Marching from Alba Longa 

To their old grandsire's hall. 



55 



94 MACAU LAY 



Along their path fresh garlands 

Are hung from tree to tree; 50 

Before them stride the pipers, 

Piping a note of glee. 

VII 

On the right goes Romulus 

With arms to the elbows red, 
And in his hand a broadsword 55 

And on the blade a head — 
A head in an iron helmet, 

With horsehair hanging down, 
A shaggy head, a swarthy head, 

Fixed in a ghastly frown — 60 

The head of King Amulius 

Of the great Sylvian line, 
Who reigned in Alba Longa 

On the throne of Aventine. 

VIII 

On the left side goes Remus 65 

With wrists and fingers red, 
And in his hand a boar-spear, 

And on the point a head — 
A wrinkled head and aged, 

With silver beard and hair, 70 

And holy fillets round it, 

Such as the pontiffs wear — 
The head of ancient Camers, 

Who spake the words of doom: 
"The children to the Tiber; 7s 

The mother to the tomb." 

IX 

Two and two behind the twins 
Their trusty comrades go, 



THE PROPHECY OF CAPYS 95 

Four and forty valiant men, 

With club and ax and bow. 80 

On each side every hamlet 

Pours forth its joyous crowd, 
Shouting lads and baying dogs 

And children laughing loud, 
And old men weeping fondly 8s 

As Rhea's boys go by, 
And maids who shriek to see the heads, 

Yet shrieking, press more nigh. 

x 

So they marched along the lake; 

They marched by fold and stall, 90 

By cornfield and by vineyard, 

Unto the old man's hall. 

XI 

In the hall-gate sate Capys, 

Capys, the sightless seer; 
From head to foot he trembled 95 

As Romulus drew near. 
And up stood stiff his thin white hair, 

And his blind eyes flashed fire: 
"Hail! foster child of the wondrous nurse! 

Hail! son of the wondrous sire! 100 

XII 

" But thou — What dost thou here 

In the old man's peaceful hall? 
What doth the eagle in the coop, 

The bison in the stall? 
Our corn fills many a garner, 10s 

Our vines clasp many a tree, 
Our flocks are white on many a hill, 

But these are not for thee. 



96 MACAU LAY 

XIII 

" For thee no treasure ripens 

In the Tartessian mine; no 

For thee no ship brings precious bales 

Across the Libyan brine; 
Thou shalt not drink from amber, 

Thou shalt not rest on down; 
Arabia shall not steep thy locks, ns 

Nor Sidon tinge thy gown. 

XIV 

" Leave gold and myrrh and jewels, 

Rich table and soft bed, 
To them who of man's seed are born, 

Whom woman's milk hath fed. 120 

Thou wast not made for lucre, 

For pleasure, nor for rest; 
Thou, that art sprung from the War-god's l loins, 

And hast tugged at the she-wolf's breast. 

xv 
" From sunrise unto sunset 125 

All earth shall hear thy fame; 
A glorious city thou shalt build, 

And name it by thy name; 
And there, unquenched through ages, 

Like Vesta's sacred fire, 130 

Shall live the spirit of thy nurse, 

The spirit of thy sire. 

XVI 

"The ox toils through the furrow, 

Obedient to the goad; 
The patient ass, up flinty paths, 13s 

Plods with his weary load; 

1 Mars. 



THE PROPHECY OF CAPYS 97 

With whine and bound the spaniel 

His master's whistle hears; 
And the sheep yields her patiently 

To the loud clashing shears. 140 

XVII 

" But thy nurse will hear no master, 

Thy nurse will bear no load; 
And woe to them that shear her, 

And woe to them that goad! 
When all the pack, 1 loud baying, us 

Her bloody lair surrounds, 
She dies in silence, biting hard, 

Amidst the dying hounds. 

XVIII 

" Pomona loves the orchard, 

And Liber loves the vine, 150 

And Pales loves the straw-built shed 

Warm with the breath of kine; 
And Venus loves the whispers 

Of plighted youth and maid, 
In April's ivory moonlight 15s 

Beneath the chestnut shade. 

XIX 

"But thy father loves the clashing 

Of broadsword and of shield; 
He loves to drink the steam that reeks 

From the fresh battlefield; 160 

He smiles a smile more dreadful 

Than his own dreadful frown, 
When he sees the thick black cloud of smoke 

Go up from the conquered town. 
1 Of hounds. 



98 MACAU LAV 

XX 

"And such as is the War-god, 165 

The author of thy line, 
And such as she who suckled thee, 

Even such be thou and thine. 
Leave to the soft Campanian 

His baths and his perfumes; 170 

Leave to the sordid race of Tyre 

Their dyeing vats and looms; 
Leave to the sons of Carthage 

The rudder and the oar; 
Leave to the Greek his marble Nymphs 175 

And scrolls of wordy lore. 

XXI 

" Thine, Roman, is the pilum; 

Roman, the sword is thine, 
The even trench, the bristling mound, 

The legion's ordered line; 180 

And thine the wheels of triumph 

Which with their laureled train 
Move slowly up the shouting streets 

To Jove's eternal fane. 

XXII 

" Beneath thy yoke the Volscian 1S5 

Shall vail his lofty brow; 
Soft Capua's curled revelers 

Before thy chairs shall bow; 
The Lucumoes of Arnus 

Shall quake thy rods * to see; 190 

And the proud Samnite's heart of steel 

Shall yield to only thee. 
1 Rods of the lictors. 






THE PROPHECY OF CAPYS 

XXIII 
" The Gaul shall come against thee 

From the land of snow and night ; 
Thou shalt give his fair-haired armies 

To the raven and the kite. 

XXIV 

The Greek shall come against thee, 

The conqueror of the East. 
Beside him stalks to battle 

The huge earth-shaking beast — 
The beast on whom the castle 

With all its guards doth stand, 
The beast who hath between his eyes 

The serpent for a hand. 
First march the bold Epirotes, 1 

Wedged close with shield and spear, 
And the ranks of false Tarentum 

Are glittering in the rear. 

xxv 

"The ranks of false Tarentum 

Like hunted sheep shall fly; 
In vain the bold Epirotes 

Shall round their standards die; 
And Apennine's gray vultures 

Shall have a noble feast 
On the fat and the eyes 

Of the huge earth-shaking beast. 

XXVI 

Hurrah for the good weapons 
That keep the War-god's land! 
Hurrah for Rome's stout pilum 
In a stout Roman hand! 
1 People from Epirus. 



99 



105 



205 



215 



iOO MACAU LAY 

Hurrah for Rome's short broadsword, 

That through the thick array 
Of leveled spears and serried shields 

Hews deep its gory way ! 

XXVII 

" Hurrah for the great triumph 225 

That stretches many a mile! 
Hurrah for the wan captives 

That pass in endless file ! 
Ho! bold Epirotes, whither 

Hath the Red King ta'en flight? 230 

Ho! dogs of false Tarentum, 

Is not the gown washed white? 

XXVIII 

" Hurrah for the great triumph 

That stretches many a mile! 
Hurrah for the rich dye of Tyre, 23s 

And the fine web of Nile, 
The helmets gay with plumage 

Torn from the pheasant's wings, 
The belts set thick with starry gems 

That shone on Indian kings, 240 

The urns of massy silver, 

The goblets rough with gold, 
The many-colored tablets 1 bright 

With loves and wars of old, 
The stone that breathes and struggles, 24s 

The brass that seems to speak ! — 
Such cunning they who dwell on high 

Have given unto the Greek. 
1 Pictures. 



THE PROPHECY OF CAPYS ioi 

XXIX 

1 Hurrah for Manius Curius, 

The bravest son of Rome, 250 

Thrice in utmost need sent forth, 

Thrice drawn in triumph home! 
Weave, weave, for Manius Curius 

The third embroidered gown; 
Make ready the third lofty car, 255 

And twine the third green crown ; 
And yoke the steeds of Rosea 

With necks like a bended bow, 
And deck the bull, Mevania's bull, 

The bull as white as snow. 260 



XXX 

" Blest and thrice blest the Roman 

Who sees Rome's brightest day, 
Who sees that long victorious pomp 

Wind down the Sacred Way, 
And through the bellowing Forum, 265 

And round the Suppliant's Grove, 
Up to the everlasting gates 

Of Capitolian Jove. 

XXXI 

" Then where, o'er two bright havens 

The towers of Corinth frown; 270 

Where the gigantic King of Day 

On his own Rhodes looks down; 
Where soft Orontes murmurs 

Beneath the laurel shades; 
Where Nile reflects the endless length 27s 

Of dark-red colonnades; 



102 MACAU LAY 

Where in the still deep water, 

Sheltered from waves and blasts, 
Bristles the dusky forest 

Of Byrsa's thousand masts; 2 8o 

Where fur-clad hunters wander 

Amidst the northern ice; 
Where through the sand of morning-land 

The camel bears the spice; 
Where Atlas flings his shadow 285 

Far o'er the western foam, 
Shall be great fear on all who hear 

The mighty name of Rome." 



IVRY 

A SONG OF THE HUGUENOTS 

Now glory to the Lord of Hosts, from whom all glories are! 
And glory to our Sovereign Liege, King Henry of Navarre! 
Now let there be the merry sound of music and of dance, 
Through thy cornfields green, and sunny vines, oh pleasant 

land of France! 
And thou, Rochelle, 1 our own Rochelle, proud city of the 
waters, s 

Again let rapture light the eyes of all thy mourning daughters. 
As thou wert constant in our ills, be joyous in our joy, 
For cold, and stiff, and still are they who wrought thy walls 

annoy. 
Hurrah ! Hurrah ! a single field hath turned the chance of war, 
Hurrah! Hurrah! for Ivry, and Henry of Navarre. 10 

Oh! how our hearts were beating when, at the dawn of day, 
We saw the army of the League drawn out in long array; 
With all its priest-led citizens, and all its rebel peers, 
And AppenzePs stout infantry, and Egmont's Flemish spears. 
There rode the brood of false Lorraine, the curses of our land; 15 
And dark Mayenne 2 was in the midst, a truncheon in his hand: 
And, as we looked on them, we thought of Seine's enpurpled 

flood, 
And good Coligni's hoary hair all dabbled with his blood; 
And we cried unto the living God, who rules the fate of war, 
To fight for His own holy name, and Henry of Navarre. 20 

The King is come to marshal us, in all his armor drest, 

And he has bound a snow-white plume upon his gallant crest. 

1 Headquarters of the Huguenots, situated on the Bay of Biscay. 

2 Guise's younger brother. 

103 



104 



MACAU LAY 



He looked upon his people, and a tear was in his eye; 
He looked upon the traitors, and his glance was stern and high. 
Right graciously he smiled on us, as rolled from wing to wing, 25 
Down all our line, a deafening shout, " God save our Lord and 

King!" 
"And if my standard-bearer fall, as fall full well he may, 
For never saw I promise yet of such a bloody fray, 
Press where ye see my white plume shine, amidst the ranks of 

war, 
And be your oriflamme 1 to-day the helmet of Navarre." 30 

Hurrah! the foes are moving. Hark to the mingled din 

Of fife, and steed, and trump, and drum, and roaring culverin. 

The fiery Duke 2 is pricking fast across Saint Andre's plain, 

With all the hireling chivalry of Guelders 3 and Almayne. 4 

Now by the lips of those ye love, fair gentlemen of France, 35 

Charge for the golden lilies, — upon them with the lance! 

A thousand spurs are striking deep, a thousand spears in rest, 

A thousand knights are pressing close behind the snow-white 

crest; 
And in they burst, and on they rushed, while like a guiding star, 
Amidst the thickest carnage blazed the helmet of Navarre. 4 o 

Now, God be praised, the day is ours. Mayenne hath turned 

his rein. 
D'Aumale 5 hath cried for quarter. The Flemish count is slain. 
Their ranks are breaking like thin clouds before a Biscay gale; 
The field is heaped with bleeding steeds, and flags, and cloven 

mail. 
And then we thought on vengeance, and, all along our van, 4 s 
"Remember St. Bartholomew!" was passed from man to man. 
But out spake gentle Henry, "No Frenchman is my foe: 

1 Royal standard of France. 2 Mayenne. 

3 A province of Netherlands. 4 Germany. 5 First cousin of Guise. 



IVRY 105 

Down, down with every foreigner, but let your brethren go." 

Oh ! was there ever such a knight in friendship or in war, 

As our Sovereign Lord, King Henry, the soldier of Navarre? 50 

Right well fought all the Frenchmen who fought for France to- 
day; 

And many a lordly banner God gave them for a prey. 

But we of the religion have borne us best in fight; 

And the good Lord of Rosny has ta'en the cornet white. 

Our own true Maximilian the cornet white hath ta'en, 55 

The cornet white with crosses black, the flag of false Lorraine. 

Up with it high; unfurl it wide; that all the host may know 

How God hath humbled the proud house which wrought His 
church such woe. 

Then on the ground, while trumpets sound the loudest point 
of war, 

Fling the red shreds, a footcloth meet for Henry of Navarre. 60 

Ho! maidens of Vienna; ho! matrons of Lucerne; 

Weep, weep, and rend your hair for those who never shall return. 

Ho! Philip, send, for charity, thy Mexican pistoles, 

That Antwerp monks may sing a mass for thy poor spearmen's 
souls. 

Ho! gallant nobles of the League, look that your arms be 
bright; 65 

Ho! burghers of Saint Genevieve, keep watch and ward to- 
night. 

For our God hath crushed the tyrant, our God hath raised the 
slave, 

And mocked the counsel of the wise, and the valor of the brave. 

Then glory to His holy name, from whom all glories are; 

And glory to our Sovereign Lord, King Henry of Navarre. 70 



THE BATTLE OF NASEBY 

BY OBADIAH-BIND-THEIR-KINGS-IN-CHAINS-AND-THEIR-NOBLES- 
WITH-LINKS-OF-IRON, SERGEANT IN IRETON'S REGIMENT 

Oh! wherefore come ye forth, in triumph from the North, 
With your hands, and your feet, and your raiment all red? 

And wherefore doth your rout send forth a joyous shout? 
And whence be the grapes of the wine-press which ye tread? 

Oh evil was the root, and bitter was the fruit, 5 

And crimson was the juice of the vintage that we trod; 

For we trampled on the throng of the haughty and the strong, 
Who sate in the high places, and slew the saints of God. 

It was about the noon of a glorious day of June, 

That we saw their banners dance, and their cuirasses shine, 10 
And the Man of Blood x was there, with his long essenced hair, 

And Astley, and Sir Marmaduke, and Rupert of the Rhine. 

Like a servant of the Lord, with his Bible and his sword, 
The General 2 rode along us to form us to the fight, 

When a murmuring sound broke out, and swell'd into a shout, 15 
Among the godless horsemen upon the tyrant's right. 3 

And hark! like the roar of the billows on the shore, 
The cry of battle rises along their charging line! 

For God ! for the Cause ! for the Church ! for the Laws ! 

For Charles, King of England, and Rupert of the Rhine! 20 

1 Charles I. 2 Cromwell. 3 See note on Rupert. 

106 



THE BATTLE OF NASEBY 107 

The furious German comes, with his clarions and his drums, 
His bravoes of Alsatia, and pages of Whitehall; 

They are bursting on our flanks. Grasp your pikes, close your 
ranks ; 
For Rupert never comes but to conquer or to fall. 

They are here ! They rush on ! We are broken ! We are gone ! 25 
Our left is borne before them like stubble on the blast. 

O Lord, put forth thy might! O Lord, defend the right! 
Stand back to back, in God's name, and fight it to the last. 

Stout Skippon 1 hath a wound; the center hath given ground: 
Hark! hark! — What means the trampling of horsemen on 
our rear? 30 

Whose banner do I see, boys? 'Tis he, thank God, 'tis he, boys, 
Bear up another minute: brave Oliver is here. 

Their heads all stooping low, their points all in a row, 
Like a whirlwind on the trees, like a deluge on the dykes, 

Our cuirassiers have burst on the ranks of the Accurst, 35 

And at a shock have scattered the forest of his pikes. 

Fast, fast, the gallants ride, in some safe nook to hide 
Their coward heads, predestined to rot on Temple Bar; 

And he — he turns, he flies: — shame on those cruel eyes 

That bore to look on torture, and dare not look on war. 4 o 

Ho! comrades, scour the plain; and, ere ye strip the slain, 
First give another stab to make your search secure, 

Then shake from sleeves and pockets their broad-pieces and 
lockets, 
The tokens of the wanton, the plunder of the poor. 

1 In command of the center division of Cromwell's troops. 



108 MACAU LAY 

Fools! your doublets shone with gold, and your hearts were 
gay and bold, 45 

When you kissed your lily hands to your lemans x to-day; 
And to-morrow shall the fox, from her chambers in the rocks, 

Lead forth her tawny cubs to howl above the prey. 

Where be your tongues that late mocked at heaven and hell and 
fate, 
And the fingers that once were so busy with your blades, 50 
Your perfum'd satin clothes, your catches 2 and your oaths, 
Your stage-plays and your sonnets, your diamonds and your 
spades? 

Down, down, for ever down with the miter and the crown, 
With the Belial 3 of the Court, and the Mammon of the 
Pope; 4 

There is woe in Oxford halls; there is wail in Durham's stalls; 55 
The Jesuit smites his bosom; the Bishop rends his cope. 

And She 5 of the seven hills shall mourn her children's ills, 
And tremble when she thinks on the edge of England's sword ; 

And the Kings of earth in fear shall shudder when they hear 

What the hand of God hath wrought for the Houses 6 and 

the Word. 7 60 

1 Lovers. 4 The god of gold. 6 Houses of Parliament. 

2 Songs. 5 Rome. 7 Word of God, i.e. the Bible. 

3 Prince of devils in the Old Testament. 



THE ARMADA 



A FRAGMENT 



Attend, all ye who list to hear our noble England's praise; 
I tell of the thrice famous deeds she wrought in ancient days, 
When that great fleet invincible against her bore in vain 
The richest spoils of Mexico, the stoutest hearts of Spain. 

It was about the lovely close of a warm summer day, s 

There came a gallant merchant-ship full sail to Plymouth Bay; 
Her crew hath seen Castile's l black fleet, beyond Auringy's isle, 2 
At earliest twilight, on the waves lie heaving many a mile. 
At sunrise she escaped their van, by God's especial grace; 
And the tall Pinta, till the noon, had held her close in chase. 10 
Forthwith a guard at every gun was placed along the wall; 
The beacon blazed upon the roof of Edgecumbe's 3 lofty hall; 
Many a light fishing-bark put out to pry along the coast, 
And with loose rein and bloody spur rode inland many a post. 
With his white hair unbonneted, the stout old sheriff comes; 15 
Behind him march the halberdiers; before him sound the drums; 
His yeomen round the market cross make clear an ample space; 
For there behooves him to set up the standard of Her Grace. 4 
And haughtily the trumpets peal, and gaily dance the bells, 
As slow upon the laboring wind the royal blazon swells. 20 

Look how the Lion of the sea lifts up his ancient crown, 
And underneath his deadly paw treads the gay lilies down ! 
So stalked he when he turned to flight, on that famed Picard 

field, 
Bohemia's plume, and Genoa's bow, and Caesar's eagle shield. 

1 Spain's. 3 A headland on Plymouth Sound. 

2 Alderney, situated in the English Channel. 4 Queen Elizabeth, 

109 



no - MACAU LAY 

So glared he when at Agincourt in wrath he turned to bay, 25 
And crushed and torn beneath his claws the princely hunters 

lay. 
Ho! strike the flagstaff deep, Sir Knight; ho! scatter flowers, 

fair maids; 
Ho! gunners, fire a loud salute; ho! gallants, draw your blades; 
Thou sun, shine on her joyously; ye breezes, waft her wide; 
Our glorious semper eadem, the banner of our pride. 30 

The freshening breeze of eve unfurled that banner's massy fold; 
The parting gleam of sunshine kissed that haughty scroll of 

gold; 
Night sank upon the dusky beach, and on the purple sea, 
Such night in England ne'er had been, nor ne'er again shall be. 
From Eddystone to Berwick bounds, from Lynn to Milford 

Bay, 35 

That time of slumber was as bright and busy as the day; 
For swift to east and swift to west the ghastly war-flame spread, 
High on St. Michael's Mount l it shone; it shone on Beachy 

Head. 2 
Far on the deep the Spaniard saw, along each southern shire, 
Cape beyond cape, in endless range, those twinkling points of 

fire. 40 

The fisher left his skiff to rock on Tamar's glittering waves; 
The rugged miners poured to war from Mendip's sunless caves; 
O'er Longleat's towers, o'er Cranbourne's oaks, the fiery herald 

flew: 
He roused the shepherds of Stonehenge, the rangers of Beaulieu. 
Right sharp and quick the bells all night rang out from Bristol 

tOWn, 45 

And ere the day three hundred horse had met on Clifton down; 
The sentinel on Whitehall 3 gate looked forth into the night, 

1 A rock off the southwestern coast of England. 

2 A headland in Sussex, southeastern England. 

3 Then the royal residence in London. 



THE ARMADA ill 

And saw o'erhanging Richmond Hill l the streak of blood-red 

light. 
Then bugle's note and cannon's roar the deathlike silence broke, 
And with one start, and with one cry, the royal city woke. 50 
At once on all her stately gates arose the answering tires; 
At once the wild alarum clashed from all her reeling spires; 
From all the batteries of the Tower 2 pealed loud the voice of 

fear; 

And all the thousand masts of Thames sent back a louder cheer; 

And from the furthest wards was heard the rush of hurrying 

feet, 55 

x\nd the broad streams of pikes and flags rushed down each 

roaring street; 
And broader still became the blaze, and louder still the din, 
As fast from every village round the horse came spurring in; 
And eastward straight from wild Blackheath 3 the warlike er- 
rand went, 
And roused in many an ancient hall the gallant squires of Kent. 
Southward from Surrey's pleasant hills flew those bright couriers 

forth; 61 

High on bleak Hampstead's 4 swarthy moor they started for the 

north; 
And on, and on, without a pause, untired they bounded still; 
All night from tower to tower they sprang; they sprang from 

hill to hill: 
Till the proud peak unfurled the flag o'er Darwin's rocky 

dales, 65 

Till like volcanoes flared to heaven the stormy hills of Wales, 
Till twelve fair counties saw the blaze on Malvern's lonely 

height, 
Till streamed in crimson on the wind the Wrekin's crest of light, 
Till broad and fierce the star came forth on Ely's stately fane, 

1 A part of London, to the westward. 3 An open common. 

2 The ancient palace-citadel of London. 4 Now a part of London. 



H2 MACAULAY 

And tower and hamlet rose in arms o'er all the boundless 
plain; 70 

Till Belvoir's * lordly terraces the sign to Lincoln sent, 

And Lincoln sped the message on o'er the wide vale of Trent; 

Till Skiddaw 2 saw the fire that burned on Gaunt's embattled 
pile, 

And the red glare on Skiddaw roused the burghers of Carlisle. 



1 Seat of the Duke of Rutland, in Leicestershire. 

2 A mountain in Cumberland, northeastern England. 



NOTES 



Meter of the Poems. Macaulay in a very interesting letter to 
his friend Ellis (see Trevelyan, Vol. II, p. 106) speaks of the remark- 
able coincidence by which the meter chosen for H or alius should be, 
without intention, so very similar to that probably used by the old 
Roman ballad writers. This was the Saturnian meter, technically 
explained by Macaulay as acatalectic iambic dimeter followed by 
three trochees, which means a line not cut off (catalectic) at the end, 
i. e. not lacking a syllable, consisting of four iambic (short, long) feet, 
and three trochaic (long, short) feet. It is called a "dimeter" (two 
measure) line because iambi are measured in pairs. The line may 
be represented thus 



Macaulay exemplifies it in English by the nursery rime 

The queen was in her parlor 
Eating bread and honey. 

This quotation shows why Horatius, Regillus, and Capys have what 
is one line written as two half lines, whereas in Virginia the half 
lines are discarded. 

The occasional change in the stanza form is due to a desire to make 
it more suitable to the thought. It occurs when the action is rapid 
or at points of intense interest. 

There is often found what is called line rime, that is the word in 
the middle of the line rimes with the one at the end. Though not in- 
variably yet often it is found toward the end of a stanza and seems 
to serve the duty of preparing for and indicating the approach of the 
end. This is similar to the use of a rime toward the end of a scene 
in Shakespeare's non-riming plays, such as Macbeth. 

8 113 



H4 NOTES 



HORATIUS 

CCCLX. The Romans counted the years from the founding of 
the city (ab urbe condita, abbreviated to A. U. C.) as we count them 
from the birth of Christ. This year equals 394 B. C. 

1. Lars Porsena (Por'se-na). A Roman legendary king of 
Etruria. — Clusium. A city of Etruria, about 80 miles north of 
Rome. 

2. Nine Gods. The Etruscans had nine gods. Their mythology 
differed from the Roman. 

3. house of Tarquin. That is, the family of the Tarquins. 

4. suffer wrong. These former kings of Rome had been banished 
on account of the crime of Sextus, who outraged Lucretia. The 
story runs that a bet was made in the camp among some young men 
as to the occupation of their wives. On their riding home, Lucretia 
was found at work while the other women were found amusing them- 
selves. Sextus became inflamed by her beauty and later committed 
the deed. Lucretia killed herself. 

25. Apennine. Mountains north of Etruria. 

26. lordly Volaterrae. In Etruria. " Lordly " because it stands 
on a hill 1700 feet high. 

30. Populonia. A coast city of Etruria, opposite Sardinia. 
34. Pisae. A commercial city on the Arno. 

36. Massilia. Marseilles. — triremes. Boats or galleys rowed by 
slaves seated in three tiers. 

37. fair-haired slaves. Prisoners of war became slaves. These 
were Gauls. 

38. Clanis. A river flowing into the Tiber. 

40. Cortona. A city near Lake Trasimenus, on a lofty hill. 
43. Auser's rill. In northwest Etruria. 

45. Ciminian hill. A mountain range northwest of Rome. 

46. Clitumnus. A river of Umbria. 

49. Volsinian mere. A lake in southern Etruria. 
58. Arretium. A town in northwest Etruria. 

60. Umbro. A large river in Etruria. 

61. plunge the struggling sheep. Washing before shearing. 



NOTES 115 

62. Luna. A town in the extreme northwest of Etruria. 

64. feet of laughing girls. Grapes were pressed by the bare feet. 

65. sires have marched to Rome. The work of \he men who had 
gone to war had to be done by those left: the old men, the boys, and 
the women. 

71. turned the verses o'er. Before any undertaking ancient peo- 
ple consulted the wise men who referred to their sacred books. 

72. Traced from the right. Etruscans wrote from the right to the 
left as is done in Hebrew. 

75. glad. Because they foresaw victory. 

80. Nurscia's altars. Nurscia was the Etruscan goddess of Fate, 
worshiped at Volsinii. 

81. golden shields. Legend says one shield fell from heaven; 
others were made like it. It was believed that Rome would endure 
as long as they were kept in the city. 

86. Sutrium. A city twenty-nine miles northwest of Rome. 

96. Mamilius. Son-in-law of Tarquin, of Tusculum in Latium. 

100. champaign. Flat, open country. Rome is surrounded by 
such a formation. 

115. skins of wine. In ancient times skins of animals were used 
instead of bottles or barrels. 

122. rock Tarpeian. The Capitoline Hill in Rome. In the Sabine 
War, Tarpeia, the daughter of the keeper, promised to open its gates 
to the enemy if they gave her what they wore on their left arms, i. e. 
their gold ornaments. But when they entered they crushed her with 
their heavy shields from their left arms. 

126. Fathers of the City. The old men composing the Senate. 

13 z. Tuscan. Modern form of " Etruscan," the adjective from 
Etruria. 

133. Crustumerium. In Latium, a few miles northeast of Rome. 

134. Verbenna. An Etruscan leader. The name was invented 
by Macaulay. The word is the subject of " hath wasted." — Ostia. 
Seaport at the mouth of the Tiber. 

136. Astur. A name also invented by the author. — Janiculum. A 
hill on the west bank of the Tiber opposite Rome. 

138. I wis. A spurious word arising from the Middle English 
adverb iwis (German, govts), meaning " certainly." / wis is used 



n6 NOTES 

as if it were the pres. ind., ist per. sing, of a verb wis which does 
not exist. The real verb is wit, meaning " know." Pres. ind., 
ist per. wot. The only common use of this verb is the infinitive 
to wit. 

144. girded. Bound as with a cord or sash. — gowns. The chief 
article of a male Roman's dress was the toga, a long, flowing, loose 
over-garment something like a gown. 

145. wall. Rome was a walled town. 

147. River-Gate. The wall had several gates. This one was on 
the riverside. 

151. The bridge. Called the Pons Sublicius, bridge on piles, con- 
necting with the hill of Janiculum. 

177. twelve. The number in the Etruscan confederacy. 

180. Umbrian. Umbria was a province east of Etruria. 

181. Gaul. Inhabitant of Gallia, ancient name of what is now 
chiefly France. " Terror," because the Etruscans had defeated both 
of them in war. 

185. Lucumo. Etruscan princes and priests. 

186. Cilnius. A powerful Etruscan noble. 
188. fourfold. Made of four layers of oxhide. 
190. Tolumnius. Another Etruscan leader. 

192. Thrasymene. Lake Trasimenus in eastern Etruria. 
200. deed of shame. See note on suffer wrong, 1. 4. 
213. van. Vanguard; advance part of an army. 

217. Horatius. Surnamed Codes, " the one-eyed." He belonged 
to the tribe of the Luceres, one of the three forming the patrician or 
upper section of Roman society. 

218. The Captain of the Gate. In charge of troops there. 

223. ashes of his fathers. The Romans burned their dead and 
preserved the ashes in urns. See Johnston's Private Life of the 
Romans, p. 314. 

229. holy maidens. Vesta was the goddess of the hearth. Before 
the shrine a fire was always kept burning by six virgin priestesses. 

236. hold ... in play. Keep occupied. 

242. Ramnian. The Ramnes formed the second of the patrician 
tribes. 

246. Titian. The Tities formed the third tribe. Thus as Ma- 



NOTES 117 

caulay pointed out in his introductory note (see p. 25), each of the 
three tribes was represented. 

267. Tribunes. Civil representatives of the commons or plebe- 
ians. — the high. The patricians. 

268. the low. The plebeians. 

278. crow. An instrument shaped like the beak of a crow, for 
tearing apart. 

301. Aunus, etc. Some of these names are invented, others are 
common. Of course all these details are made up. — Tifernum. A 
town in Umbria. 

304. Sicken. Because of the hard life. — Ilva's mines. The iron 
mines on the island of Ilva (modern Elba), off the coast of 
Etruria. 

309. Nequinum. A town in Umbria on a lofty rock, called by the 
Romans Narnia. — lowers. Frowns, because seeming to look down 
threateningly. 

310. Nar. A river in Umbria flowing into the Tiber. 
319. Falerii. An important town of south Etruria. 
321. Urgo. An island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. 

323. Volsinium. An Etruscan town on a high rock. Properly 
Volsinii. 

326. Cosa. An Etrurian seaport. — fen. Lowland partially cov- 
ered by. water, producing coarse growths, as reeds. 

328. Albinia. An Etruscan river. 

337. Campania. A province southeast of Rome. 

346. for a space. For a time. 

360. she-wolf's litter. According to the legend Romulus and 
Remus, who had been exposed on the banks of the Tiber by the order 
of Amulius, were found and nursed by a she-wolf as if they belonged 
to her own litter. Growing up they founded Rome. Hence the Ro- 
mans, their descendants, could be called the " she-wolf's litter." 

384. Alvernus. Near the source of the Tiber. 

388. augurs. The priests who foretold the future. 

417. Was none. There was none. 

465. turret-tops. The tops of the towers on the walls. 

467. unbroken. Not accustomed to harness. 

470. mane. Referring to the foam. 



Ii8 NOTES 

471. curb. Continuing the figure, the broken bridge is called the 
curb or bit in the mouth. 

474. Battlement. The parts for defense. 

488. Palatinus. One of the hills of Rome. 

508. Tuscany. The modern name of Etruria. 

525. Bore bravely up his chin. To this line the author placed as 
a footnote the following quotations: 

"Our ladye bare upp her chinne." 

Ballad of Childe Waters. 

"Never heavier man and horse 
Stemmed a midnight torrent's force; 

Yet, through good heart and our Lady's grace, 
At length he gained the landing place." 

Lay of the Last Minstrel, I. 

They were given because of the similarity to the text. 
543. public right. Belonging to the state. 
546. molten image. A figure made from melted metal. 

549. I. The citizen narrating the story. See Macaulay's Intro- 
duction. 

550. Comitium. Part of the Roman forum or public market place. 

561. charge . . . home. Fight effectively. — Volscian. People 
living in the southern part of Latium. At the supposed date of 
this poem the Romans had just subdued them. 

562. Juno. Queen of the gods. 

572. Algidus. A mountain in Latium, about twelve miles from 
Rome. 

577. spit. A device for roasting over an open fire. 

584. shuttle. The mother is weaving cloth. The shuttle carries 
the thread back and forth through the upright threads. 

585. loom. Machine for weaving. It holds the upright threads. 

The Action after the Incident of the Bridge 

After the bridge fell Lars Porsena with his army laid siege to the 
city. The food supply running short, the people were threatened 
with famine. At this crisis Mucius, a noble Roman, secretly entered 



NOTES 119 

the camp of Porsena to kill him in the hope that the army would 
retire if its leader were slain. But by mistake he slew another, and 
being captured was brought before the general for sentence. To 
show his fearlessness he let the flames on an altar consume his right 
hand. His boldness and endurance so aroused the admiration of Por- 
sena that he set him free. In gratitude Mucius revealed a determined 
plot to kill the Etruscan. Alarmed for his safety Porsena made peace 
with the Romans who gave him certain hostages. Among these was a 
girl named Cloelia, who, escaping, swam the Tiber to Rome. But the 
Romans kept their faith, and though they admired Cloelia's pluck, 
returned her to Porsena. Thereupon, filled with admiration for the 
Romans' faith, he released Cloelia and other hostages whom she 
selected. Porsena then returned to Clusium. 



THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS 

Regillus. A small body of water near Rome. It no longer exists. — 
Castor and Pollux. Twin gods noted for their skill with horses. — 
Ides. The 15th. — Quintilis. The old fifth month, later named 
July.— The year of the city CCCCLI. B. C. 303. 

2. lictors. Officers who attended Roman magistrates to enforce 
respect. They carried the fasces or rods bound in a bundle from the 
middle of which an ax protruded. 

3. Knights. The equestrian order of citizens. At first they were 
merely cavalry, but later a class of society. 

7. Castor. A statue of the god. 

8. Mars. A statue of the god. — without the wall. Outside of the 
fortifications of the city. 

10. crowned. The olive crown of the knights at their imperial 
review typified gifts of peace that, in a barbarous age, could be se- 
cured by victory alone. 

13. Yellow River. The Tiber. See Horatius, 1. 98. 

14. Sacred Hill. A mountain near Rome to which the people 
once retired when in distress. By this secession they gained the 
election of representatives called Tribunes. 

17. Martian Kalends. March first. 



120 NOTES 

18. December's Nones. December fifth. 

20. whitest. Lucky days were marked with chalk or a white 
stone. 

24. Came. Came to the scene of the battle. 

25. Parthenius. A mountain in southern Greece. 
27. Cirrha. A town north of the mountain. 

31. Lacedaemon. The beginning of their route. The old name 
for Sparta in Greece. 

32. two kings. Sparta had two kings as Rome had two consuls. 
34. Porcian height. A hill near Tusculum. 

42. Come. A hill remarkable for the size of its trees. 
63. Thirty Cities. A league of the thirty cities of Latium. 

69. hoof mark. The legend relates that one of the divine steeds of 
the gods made an impress of his hoof on the margin of Lake Regillus. 

70. into the flint. The volcanic rock in the soil. 
77. Great Twin Brethren. See Introduction, p. 49. 

83. Aulus. Aulus Posthumius (properly spelled " Postumius "). 

84. race. A group of families or gens. 

86. Gabii. One of the towns of the Latin league. 

105. eyrie. Old spelling of " aerie," nest of an eagle. 

106. carrion kite. The kite is a kind of hawk. 

119. Conscript Fathers. Translation of patres conscripti, short- 
ened form of patres et conscripti, a term applied to the Senators, who 
were originally patricians and called patres. Later when plebeians 
were added to the Senate they were conscripti, "added to the roll." 
Hence the term. 

123. Dictator. An officer with absolute authority, appointed in 
times of great danger for six months by a consul at the order of the 
Senate. 

125. Camerium. A town in Latium. 

131. Master of the Knights. An assistant appointed by the 
Dictator. 

132. axes. Lictors who bore axes. See note on lictors, 1. 2. 

165. Setia. A town of Latium above the Pontine marshes. 

166. Norba. Another town of Latium. 

169. Witch's Fortress. Circeii, on a promontory in Latium, 
where the enchantress Circe is supposed to have dwelt. 



NOTES 121 

172. Aricia. A town in Latium, near which is a lake. 

174. ghastly priest. In Aricia was a famous temple of Diana 
whose priest was a fugitive slave. According to custom he had ob- 
tained his position by killing his predecessor and in like manner would 
in turn be killed. 

177. Ufens. A muddy, sluggish stream of Latium. 

183. Cora. An ancient city of Latium, notable for remains of 
huge stone walls. 

185. Laurentian. Marshes near Laurentum, a seacoast city and 
the ancient capital of Latium. 

187. Anio. A river flowing into the Tiber above Rome, after a 
fine waterfall. 

190. Velitrae. An ancient town of Latium, east of Rome. 

201. land of sunrise. The East. 

203. Carthage. The chief Phoenician city in the north of Africa. 
It carried on an extensive commerce. 

205. Lavinium. A town of Latium. 

207. marsh. Pontine marshes near Rome. 

217. A woman. A vision of Lucretia whom he had outraged and 
who killed herself. 

219. watches. The Romans divided the night into periods ac- 
cording to the tours of duty of sentinels. 

221. distaff. A primitive instrument for spinning. 

233. Tibur. A famous ancient town, the modern Tivoli, twenty 
miles from Rome. — Pedum. A town of Latium, ten miles from 
Rome. 

235. Ferentinum. A town in Latium. 

236. pool. The town was on a small lake. 

237. succors. Allies from the Volscians, a people of Latium. 

240. king. Tarquinius Superbus. See p. 24. 

241. Soracte. A mountain in southern Etruria, famous in litera- 
ture. 

249. Titus. The youngest son of Tarquinius Superbus. 

250. Apulian. Apulia, a province in southeast Italy, well adapted 
to the raising of horses. 

263. Pomptine. The vapor that rises from the Pontine Marshes, 
Pomptinae Paludes, which are in Latium between the coast and 



122 NOTES 

the Volscian Mountains, seven miles in breadth and thirty-one miles 
in length. Macaulay uses " Pomptine," which is nearer the Latin. 

278. Digentian rock. A small hill above the junction of the 
River Digentia with the Anio. 

280. Bandusia's flock. Flock from the Fountain of Bandusia in 
Apulia, originally thought to be in the country of the Sabines. 

283. Auster. The name of his horse. It is also the name of the 
south wind. 

287. crown. Crowns were granted for distinctive service in 
war. 

288. Fidenae. A town of Latium captured by the Romans. 
294. Calabrian brake. A thicket in Calabria, the heel of Italy. 
325. clients. Persons in Rome who put themselves under the 

protection of another, usually a patrician, called a patron. 

362. Velian hill. In Rome, between the Palatine and Esquiline hills. 

372. A span. The distance between the tip of the thumb and the 
tip of the little finger when the hand is spread. 

383. yeomen. Members of his bodyguard. 

399. play the men. Act as men should act. 

416. Consular. Adjective used as a noun. Man of consular rank, 
one who has been a consul. 

441. southward battle. The division of troops at the south. 

480. Aufidus. A river of southeast Italy in Apulia. — Po. A 
river of northern Italy. 

557. The furies. Goddesses, called " The Eumenides," who as 
avengers of crime plagued the criminal. 

568. Capuan. Capua was a city of Campania noted for luxury. 

582. Auster's band. Girth round the horse to hold the saddle cloth. 

603. Samothracia. An island in the ^Egean Sea. 

604. Cyrene. A celebrated city in Libya, Africa. 

605. Tarentum. A Greek town in Calabria, noted for luxury. 
607. Syracuse. A powerful Greek city of Sicily, noted for ex- 
tensive shipping. 

609. Eurotas. A river of Greece near Sparta, their home. 
619. Ardea. A town of Latium, here used in the sense of " the 
men of Ardea." So " the men of Cora," 1. 620. 

631. swell. A gradual increase, followed by a decrease of sound. 



NOTES 123 

646. Celtic plain. That part of northern Italy which the Gauls, 
who were Celts, occupied when they crossed the Alps. It is generally 
called Gallia Cisalpina. 

648. Adrian main. The expanse of the Adriatic Sea. 

649. Sire Quirinus. A name given to Romulus after he was car- 
ried away by Mars to heaven. 

660. Lanuvium fled. That is, the men of the town of Lanuvium, 
in Latium. 

661. Nomentum. A town of Latium. 

673. Arpinum. A town of Latium, famous as the birthplace of 
Cicero. 

676. Anxur. A town near the Pontine Marshes. 

695. Twelve. The men who took care of the shields. 

696. Golden Shield. See Horatius, note on 1. 81. 

697. High Pontiff. The Pontifex Maximus, chief priest. 

699. Etruria's colleges. " College " means a gathering. Etruria 
instructed Rome in many things. 

716. pricking. Hurrying by the use of the spur. 

721. Asylum. Romulus set aside a part of the city as a refuge for 
those fleeing from other places. 

722. seven. Rome was situated on seven hills. 
724. heaven. See Horatius, note on 1. 81. 
742. laurel boughs. Emblems of victory. 
745. nigh to Vesta. That is, to her temple. 

760. Dorians. These two gods had their home in Sparta whose 
inhabitants belonged to the Dorian branch of the Greeks. 

768. sails. Castor and Pollux later were made into a constella- 
tion of two stars which has been confounded with the electrical 
display seen sometimes on ships at sea. 

781. Unto the Great Twin Brethren. That is, to their temple. 



VIRGINIA 



5. running wine. In Euripides's Bacchce characters are repre- 
sented as striking the ground from which fountains of wine issued. 
Macaulay was very fond of this play. 



124 NOTES 

6. snaky tresses. See the myth of the Furies and that of Medusa 
in a classical dictionary. — swine. See the myth of Circe. 

10. wicked Ten. Decemvirs. See Macaulay's Introduction, p. 77. 
12. Appius Claudius. See Introduction, p. 77. 
14. axes. Lictors. See Regillus, note on 1. 2. 
20. client. See Regillus, note on 1. 325. 

23. lying Greeks. The Romans despised the Greeks. 

24. Licinius. See Introduction, p. 76. 

31. tablets. Smooth plates of wood or ivory, covered with a thin 
layer of wax, protected by raised edges, hinged together by wire, 
and written upon with a pointed instrument of iron called a stylus. 

35. Sacred Street. The Via Sacra, a celebrated street of Rome, 
so called probably because upon it were some of the greatest sanctu- 
aries. 

38. Lucrece. See Horatius, note on 1. 4. — combing the fleece. Dis- 
entangling the fleece of sheep preparatory to spinning. 

45. Alban mountains. Fifteen miles from Rome, in Latium. 

70. caitiff. One who is both wicked and mean. 

74. sickness. A great plague raged in Rome in B. C. 463. 

75. month of wail and fright. September is a very unhealthy 
month in Rome. 

76. augurs. An augur foretold the future by interpreting such 
signs as the flight of birds. — borne forth. Carried out dead from 
their houses. 

87. Icilius. An imaginary character who took the opportunity 
to stir up the people to revolt. 

89. column. The pila Horatia on which were displayed the 
spoils of the fight between the Curatii, the champions of the Albans, 
and the Horatii, those of the Romans. 

95. Servius. Servius Tullius, an early king who gave the people a 
constitution. 

97. false sons. In the first attempt of Tarquin to regain his 
throne the conspirators included two sons of the Consul, Lucius 
Junius Brutus, who had the lictor put them to death like the others. 
On Tarquin's attempts see page 24. 

98. Scaevola. In the siege of Rome, during Tarquin's third at- 
tempt, Mucius, a Roman noble, went to Porsena's camp to kill him, 



NOTES 125 

but was captured. To show his contempt for any punishment, he 
calmly let his right hand burn in a fire. Henceforth he was called 
Sccevola, " left-handed." 

99. fox-earth. Fox's hole standing for the fox himself, referring to 
the Decemvirs. Shall they awe the people who overthrew the kings 
(lion's den)? 

101. the Senate's will. Since the Senate was mostly composed 
of patricians, the successful efforts of the people to obtain their rights 
from time to time may be thought of as curbing the will of the for- 
mer. 

102. Sacred Hill. In one of their attempts, B. C. 494, to gain 
their rights, the plebeians marched away to a hill beyond the Anio. 
After terms were made, the hill was called the Sacred Hill or Mount. 

104. Marcian fury. During a famine some ships laden with corn 
came from Syracuse. Caius Marcius Coriolanus thereupon proposed 
that none be distributed till the plebeians had consented to give up 
their tribunes. The tribunes impeached him before the assembly of 
the tribes and he had to flee. — Fabian pride. The Fabian gens, or 
group of families, usurped the consulship for ten years. After a while 
they were all compelled to leave Rome. 

105. Quinctius. Caeso, son of Lucius Quinctius, who often drove 
the tribunes from the forum and put the plebeians to flight. He fled 
after being brought to trial. 

106. Claudius. Probably this refers to one of the family whose 
soldiers rebelled against him. 

108. blighted in a day. When the Decemvirs were elected in 
B. C. 451, to draw up a code of laws, they were given power to act 
as supreme magistrates until the new code came into force, all other 
magistrates being suspended, and the plebeians giving up their 
tribunes. The effort to secure these tribunes originally had been the 
work of years. Further, the Decemvirs ruled arbitrarily; hence all 
the plebeians' successfully established rights were swept away. 

in. No crier. The herald, who called the men to the voting. 

115. holy fillets. Ceremonial headdress of the priests, who were 
patricians. — purple gown. Insignia of a Senator. 

116. curule chair. The chair of state used by the consuls. — the 
car. The chariot used in triumphal processions by generals, who 



126 NOTES 

were chiefly patricians. — laurel crown. The emblem of victory worn 
by the generals. 

117. press. Cause us to serve. — cohorts. A cohort was the tenth 
part of a legion or body of soldiers. 

120. usance. Interest for the use of money. 

122. dens of torment. Prisons where debtors who could not pay 
were placed. 

123. dog-star heat. The period when the Dog Star, Sirius, was 
visible. 

124. holes. Stocks for punishment by confining the feet. 

127. Shades. The spirits of the dead who inhabited Hades, a 
place considered to exist below the earth. 

130. High Pontiffs. Chief Priests. — Alban Kings. Kings of Alba 
Longa, a city more ancient than Rome and the old capital of 
Latium. 

133. Corinthian mirrors. Made in Corinth of polished metal. 

134. Capuan. See Regillus, note on 1. 568. 

157. civic crown. Corona civica, made of oak leaves. It was given 
to a soldier for saving the life of a citizen. 

162. upon his urn. The receptacle of a person's ashes after crema- 
tion. 

167. he. Appius Claudius. 

182. Volscians. A people inhabiting the coast of Latium with 
whom the Romans had had much trouble. 

192. judgment seat. The official place where Appius Claudius 
was sitting. 

193. dwellers in the nether gloom. Gods of the lower regions 
with their ministers of vengeance, the Furies. 

213. cypress crown. The cypress was a death emblem in Rome. 

224. sheaf of twigs. The fasces. See Regillus, note on 1. 2. 

228. Pincian Hill. In the northern part of the city. — the Latin 
Gate. The gate on the Via Latina leading to Tusculum. 

244. potsherds. Broken pieces of earthenware. 

249. Caius. Coriolanus. See note on 1. 104. 

251. Furius. Marcus Furius Camillus who captured Veii in south- 
ern Etruria, a town with which Rome had been at war for centuries. 
He is also said to have driven away the Gauls under Brennus. 



NOTES 127 

255. within the city towers. That is, inside of the city. 
259. litter. Litter is used as the offspring of a dog, so here it is 
contemptuous. 

266. necks. The chair was carried on their shoulders. 

276. Adriatic. It is noted for its storms. 

277. sea-marks. Lights on the west coast of the " heel " of Italy. 

278. Thunder Cape. Acroceraunia in Epirus, western Greece, 
nearly opposite the " heel " of Italy. The name is from the Greek 
and means derivatively " the thunder-smitten peaks." 

Events after the Death of Virginia 

After he had killed his daughter Virginius hurried to the army 
which took up his cause. The troops marched to the city and en- 
camped on the Aventine where they were joined by the other army. 
All the soldiers then took station on the Sacred Mount, the scene of 
the first Plebeian Secession. The situation was so acute that the 
Decemvirs were compelled to resign. The Patricians sent Valerius 
and Horatius, men of known moderation, as envoys to treat with the 
army. An agreement was entered upon by which the tribunes were 
restored. As soon as they assumed office these officials proceeded 
against the Decemvirs. Appius Claudius and another were put into 
prison where they committed suicide and the rest went into exile. 



THE PROPHECY OF CAPYS 

Dentatus. See Introduction, p. 90. 

1. Amulius. See Introduction, p. 90. The entire legend is as fol- 
lows: ^Eneas after the fall of Troy came to Italy where he was well 
received by King Latinus who gave him his daughter Lavinia in 
marriage. ^Eneas built a town called Lavinium after his wife. At 
his death his son Ascanius became king. He built a new city on 
Mt. Albanus called Alba Longa. His descendants ruled in regular 
order till after the death of Procas. This king left two sons Numitor 
and Amulius. The latter, the younger, usurped the throne and to 
make his position secure killed Numitor's son and made his daughter, 
Rhea Silvia, a vestal virgin in order that she might have no children. 
But she bore to the god Mars twins, Romulus and Remus. Then the 



128 NOTES 

doom was pronounced according to law that the mother be buried 
alive and the children thrown into the Tiber, then in flood. But the 
basket containing the children came to the shore, where they were 
suckled by a she-wolf. Later they were found by a shepherd who 
brought them up. The twins became great hunters and collected a 
band of devoted young men. Discovering their birth they marched 
to Alba with their followers, killed Amulius, and restored Numitor 
to the throne. Macaulay gives the priest a name and has the 
brothers kill him too. Later they left Alba to found a city on one 
of the hills of the Tiber. This city was Rome, named from Romulus. 

23. the dead. The twins. This is the day on which they have 
come back and restored their grandfather to the throne. 

58. horsehair. The helmet had a plume of horsehair. 

71. holy fillets. See Virginia, note on 1. 115. 

99. foster child. A child nursed or brought up by one not its own 
mother. 

104. The bison in the stall. He likens Romulus to the eagle and 
to the bison implying that he has as much place there as an eagle in 
a hencoop or a bison in the stall of a stable. 

no. Tartessian. Adjective from Tartessus, Latin name of 
Tarshish, a district of southern Spain. 

112. Libyan brine. That part of the Mediterranean Sea along the 
coast of Libya, Africa. 

113. amber. For cups ornamented with amber. 

115. steep thy locks. " Cause thy hair to be permeated with 
perfume." Arabia was noted for its perfumes. 

116. Sidon tinge. Sidon in Phoenicia was noted for dyes. " These 
will not color thy gown." 

117. myrrh. A gum used for perfume. 

118. Rich table. Luxurious food. 

130. Vesta. See Horatius, note on 1. 229. 

133. ox. In Italy the ox was used for pulling the plow. 

149. Pomona. A nymph who was the goddess of fruit trees. 

150. Liber. Bacchus, the god of wine. 

151. Pales. The goddess of sheepfolds. 

169. Campanian. The Campanians were noted for their effem- 
inacy and luxury. 



NOTES 129 

171. Tyre. A Phoenician city famous for dyes and woven gar- 
ments. 

173. Carthage. A city on the northern coast of Africa. It was 
powerful on the sea and a great rival of Rome. 

175. marble Nymphs. Sculpture. 

176. wordy lore. Literature. 

177. pilum. A heavy wooden javelin with a long iron point. 

179. bristling mound. The fortifications of a Roman camp con- 
sisted mainly of a trench or ditch, the earth from which was piled up 
at its edge to make a mound or wall, faced partly with sod and partly 
with bundles of sticks. 

180. legion. A body of soldiers like a regiment. 

181. wheels of triumph. Successful generals were given a triumph, 
a procession in which the general wearing a wreath of bay, rode in 
a car accompanied by soldiers, captives, and the spoils of war. 

182. laureled train. The soldiers in the triumph wore laurel. 

184. fane. The temple where the triumphs ended with a sacrifice 
to Jupiter. 

185. yoke. The soldiers of a conquered army, in token of sub- 
mission and degradation, were compelled to pass " under the yoke," 
a device consisting of three spears, two planted in the ground and 
the third fastened across them. — Volscian. See Horatius, note on 
1. 561. There were many contests between the Romans and Volscians. 

186. vail. Bow in token of submission. 

187. revelers. See 1. 169. They paid much attention to personal 
adornment. 

188. chairs. Curule chairs. See Virginia, note on 1. 116. 

189. Lucumoes. See Horatius, note on 1. 185. — Arnus. A river 
in northern Etruria. 

191. Samnite. Inhabitants of Samnium, a region east of Latium. 
194. land of snow and night. The north is so considered by those 
living in the south. 

197. The Greek. In the person of Pyrrhus, king of Epirus. 

198. The conqueror. Under Alexander the Greeks subdued the East. 

200. beast. The elephant. 

201. castle. On the backs of the elephants were fortlike structures 
filled with soldiers. 



130 NOTES 

207. false Tarentum. See Introduction, p. 90. 

223. shields. This line refers to the Greek military formation 
known as the phalanx, in which the soldiers, drawn up in several 

ranks, so held their spears that the points of all were presented to the 
enemy, while their large shields afforded themselves protection. 

230. Red King. Pyrrhus means " red " in Greek. 

232. washed white. See Introduction, p. 90. 

236. web of Nile. Egypt was famous for its woven stuffs. 

240. Indian kings. The Greeks had warred with the natives of 
India. 

245. stone that breathes and struggles. Lifelike statues. 

246. brass that seems to speak. Bronze statues. 
249. Curius. See Title, p. 92. 

252. Thrice . . . home. He won three great victories. 
254. embroidered gown. The gown, car, and crown belonged to 
the triumph. 

257. Rosea. A valley near Reate. 
259. Mevania. A town in Umbria. 

265. bellowing Forum. The people were shouting in the Forum. 

266. Suppliant's Grove. The place where Romulus made the 
asylum. See Regillus, note on 1. 721. 

268. Capitolian Jove. Temple of Jove on the Capitoline Hill. 

269. bright havens. Corinth had two harbors. 

271. King of Day. The Colossus of Rhodes, a gigantic statue 
bestriding the entrance to the port. 
273. Orontes. A river in Syria. 
280. Byrsa. The citadel of Carthage. 
283. sand of morning-land. Deserts of the east. 
285. Atlas. Mountains in northern Africa. 



IVRY 

Ivry. A small place in Normandy. Here in 1590 the battle of the 
same name was fought between the Catholic League, under the Duke 
of Mayenne, and the Huguenots, under King Henry of Navarre. 
The latter was the rightful successor to the throne of France; but, 



NOTES 131 

chiefly because of his religion, the League disputed his succession. 
Henry, at the head of the Protestant (Huguenot) forces, vindicated 
his right by defeating the allies at Ivry. 

14. Appenzel. A canton in Switzerland. — Egmont's Flemish spears. 
Flanders at this time was under Spanish rule, hence in the League. 
Egmont was leading the Flemish division. 

15. Lorraine. A French province under the rulership of the Duke 
of Guise, one of the founders of the League. 

18. Coligni. A leader of the Huguenots, said to be the first one 
murdered in the massacre of St. Bartholomew. 

46. St. Bartholomew. The massacre of the French Protestants, 
on St. Bartholomew's eve and day (August 23-24), 1572. Some 
25,000 were slain. 

54. Lord of Rosny. Maximilian. Afterwards Duke of Sully and 
a minister of Henry. 

61. Vienna . . . Lucerne. Catholic centers of Austria and Swit- 
zerland, respectively. 

63. Philip . . . Mexican pistoles. Philip II of Spain, champion 
of Catholicism and a loyal supporter of the League, was supplying 
his treasury with gold from the mines of Mexico. See the first stanza 
of the Armada. A pistole is a Spanish coin worth about four dollars. 



THE BATTLE OF NASEBY 

The Battle of Naseby. This battle (June 14, 1645) marked the 
end of the first civil war in England. It was the culmination of the 
struggle for the crown of England, with King Charles I at the head 
of the Royalists and Oliver Cromwell in command of the Parlia- 
mentary troops. 

The story is told by a Puritan, the length of whose name is not an 
exaggeration. — Ireton was one of Cromwell's staunch commanders. 

1. in triumph from the North. Less than a year prior to the 
Battle of Naseby, Cromwell's troops had defeated the Royalists 
at Marston Moor, in the north of England. 

12. Astley. Sir Jacob (afterwards Lord) Astley was in command 
of the center division of the Royalist army. — Sir Marmaduke. Sir 



132 NOTES 

Marmaduke Langdale had charge of the left wing of Charles's forces. — 
Rupert of the Rhine. Prince Rupert of Bavaria was a nephew of 
Charles, and commander of the right division of the King's troops in 
this battle. He was a dashing cavalry leader whose forces had re- 
mained undefeated until Cromwell's own "Ironside" troops hurled 
him back at Marston Moor. 

22. bravoes of Alsatia. The German troops of Rupert. — Whitehall. 
The royal palace in London. 

38. Temple Bar. A gateway in front of the Temple in London, 
on which the heads of famous criminals were publicly exposed. 

52. diamonds and your spades. Card playing was especially 
offensive to the Puritans. 

55. Oxford halls. King Charles had established his headquarters 
in Oxford. The University was noted for its loyalty to the King. 
— Durham's stalls. Durham cathedral was the seat of the 
bishop, hence a Royalist center. 



THE ARMADA 



Armada. In July, 1588, the "Invincible Armada" of Spain, num- 
bering almost 150 ships and bearing 22,000 soldiers, appeared off the 
coast of England. To repel this invasion the English fleet had but 
60 available ships, and a land force of raw recruits, hurriedly called 
together, under the command of the inefficient Leicester. Lord Charles 
Howard, Lord High Admiral of England, adopted the policy of pur- 
suing the Armada, and cutting off straggling vessels. Finally, in a 
running battle off Calais, the Spaniards were badly defeated and 
driven northward. The English fleet followed, and harassed the en- 
emy, as far as the Firth of Forth. Then a great storm set in, almost 
completing the destruction of the Armada, so that fewer than half 
of the ships and men returned to Spain three months later. Read 
Kingsley's Westward Ho! for a vivid account of the battle. 

10. tall Pinta. The vessels of the Armada rode high out of the 
water, hence their clumsiness. 

21-22. Lion of the sea . . . gay lilies down. A reference to the 



NOTES 133 

# 

design on the British flag. The lion symbolizes England; the lilies, 
France. 

23-24. Picard field, etc. The Battle of Crecy (1346), in Picardy, 
in which Edward III of England overwhelmingly defeated the French 
forces under Philip VI. Supporting Philip were the troops of the 
aged King of Bohemia, who was slain; Genoese crossbowmen; and 
the King of Bohemia's son, King of the Romans, hence heir to 
Caesar's shield. 

25. Agincourt. At Agincourt, near Crecy, in 141 5, Henry V over- 
threw the French army, composed chiefly of knights. 

30. semper eadem. "Always the same." This motto was in- 
scribed on the English banner. 

35. From Eddystone ... to Milford Bay. From one end of Eng- 
land to the other. See any map of England for the location of these 
places. 

41. Tamar's glittering waves. Tamar River is in southwestern 
England, forming a part of the boundary line between Devon and 
Cornwall. 

42. Mendip's sunless caves. The mines in the Mendip Hills, 
southwest of Bristol. 

43. Longleat's towers. A country mansion near Salisbury. — Cran- 
bourne's oaks. Cranborn Chase, an ancient forest in the shires of 
Dorset and Wilts. 

44. Stonehenge. Two concentric circles of upright stones, eight 
miles north of Salisbury, presumably the remains of a temple of the 
Druids. — Beaulieu. A village near Southampton. 

65. Darwin's rocky dales. Probably Darwen, a parliamentary 
division in northeastern Lancashire. 

67. Malvern's lonely height. Probably Worcester Beacon, one 
of the hills in the Malvern range, near Gloucester. 

68. Wrekin's crest. The Wrekin is a hill in Shropshire, near 
Wellington. 

69. Ely's stately fane. The cathedral of Ely, a town fifteen miles 
from Cambridge. 

73. Gaunt's embattled pile. Lancaster castle, once the strong- 
hold of the Duke of Gaunt. 



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